Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is America's oldest and most prestigious honor society for two-year colleges. Phi Theta Kappa was founded in 1918 by two-year college presidents in Missouri. The founders sought to recognize the scholastic achievement of their students and establish a common purpose and standard for honors organizations on their different campuses. The founders modeled their new Society after Phi Beta Kappa, the honor society for four-year colleges and universities.

The Greek letters Phi Theta Kappa were chosen to represent Greek words for wisdom (phronimon), aspiration (thumos), and purity (katharotes). Phi Theta Kappa was officially recognized by the American Association of Junior Colleges on November 19, 1929. PTK continues to observe the date as Founders' Day .

Central Piedmont Community College's chapter of PTK is Phi Lambda. We have been an active chapter since 1970. We are the largest student organization at Central Piedmont and are an active student group dedicated to service to the community and the college through education and hands-on activities.

If you decide to join Phi Theta Kappa there is a one-time only membership fee. Once a member, you remain a member as long as your GPA meets the requirements.

You do not have to participate in any of our chapter activities to be a member, but you are invited to join us at any of our events. Participating is a great way to be a part of the school and community and learn skills that will make you a valuable employee and a better citizen.

The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa shall be to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students. To achieve this purpose, Phi Theta Kappa shall promote opportunities for the development of leadership and service, provide an intellectual climate for the exchange of ideas and ideals, and support the lively fellowship of scholars all with the aim of continuing academic excellence.

Phi Theta Kappa has established four hallmarks that represent the ideals all scholars should pursue. Our chapter works to provide opportunities in each hallmark. The hallmarks are:

Scholarship

Members are encouraged to take advantage of the many opportunities Central Piedmont offers, including programs like Global Learning, Student Ambassadors, the Honors Program, and Scholars of Distinction.

Leadership

Each year, new officers are elected from the general membership. Members are encouraged to participate in general meetings as well as at other events. We look to our members to initiate and organize these opportunities. Other areas of the school look to Phi Lambda members as student leaders and you may have opportunities to represent the school to the community. 

Fellowship

Meetings are conducted on campus every week to discuss and plan upcoming events and activities and the current honors topic. Opportunities to socialize with other members are scheduled throughout the year.

Service

There are numerous agencies and several on-campus activities where members can perform service through out the year. Ongoing chapter activities include Fall Fest/International Spring Fest, Student Resources Day, and other Student Life and Service-Learning sponsored events. Some projects may revolve around the year's International Service Project.

Phi Lambda has a constitution that provides the structure for our chapter. Officers, advisors, and members are expected to understand their roles and responsibilities as described in the constitution.

Review the Phi Theta Kappa constitution (PDF).

Have questions or need to get in touch with someone from Phi Theta Kappa at Central Piedmont? Our office is located on the first floor of the Parr Center in the Student Organization Rooms next to Student Life.

Officers (Executive Committee)

Josiah McLean, President

Rahiem Brooks, Executive Vice President

Kayla Smith, Vice President of Communications

Meghan Holmes, Vice President of Scholarship

Destiny Kimbrough, Vice President of Service

Katelyn Smith, Vice President of Chapter Records

Kejsi Guce, Vice President of Fellowship

Phi Theta Kappa is open to any student at Central Piedmont who:

• is registered for at least one curriculum (111 or higher) class in the current semester;
• has completed 12 hours of curricular classes at Central Piedmont;
• achieves a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Cumulative GPA includes all curricular courses completed throughout a student's career at Central Piedmont. President's and Dean's list honors relate to the GPA earned for a semester and do not qualify a student for PTK eligibility if the student's cumulative GPA is below 3.5.

If you meet the eligibility requirements, you will receive an invitation (sent to your Central Piedmont student email) from our chapter. In the email you will find details about how to participate in our chapter's activities.

Shortly after receiving the email from our chapter, you will be sent an invitation email from Phi Theta Kappa headquarters. In that email you will find a personal invitation code and a link to an application for PTK. Once you complete the application, you will need to submit the one-time dues payment. Your membership fee covers the regional and international cost for membership, golden key pin, and membership certificate.

The application form will ask you for information about your major and graduation date. These are only for PTK's database and will not affect your membership.

You should receive your certificate and your Phi Theta Kappa golden key pin approximately eight weeks after you accept your membership. If you have not received your packet after this time, please email member services.

We assess eligibility for Phi Theta Kappa every fall and spring semester and issue invitations to students who meet the eligibility requirements by the fifth week of the semester. The invitation to join is valid only in the semester it is offered. Once the enrollment period closes, you must wait for the next one to open to join. Be aware that your eligibility may change if your GPA changes.

If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact a Phi Theta Kappa advisor.

Each semester, our chapter awards fee waivers to cover membership fees for applicants. The requirements for a fee waiver are:

• current eligibility for PTK membership
• 10 hours documented service performed within the last 6 months*
• completed waiver application, including essay

Waivers are competitive and are evaluated by the Executive Committee. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Awards may be for full or half waiver of membership fees. Applicants will be notified prior to the induction ceremony.

Fee waiver applications must be received by April 3 at 5:00 p.m.

*Documentation is a letter (on organization letterhead) from the person in charge of volunteers where you served. If you did service through Central Piedmont, you won't need a letter, just indicate you volunteered through the school and Service-Learning will have a record of your hours.

Welcome. Once a member, always a member. After you've completed and submitted the application and paid the membership fees there are no other requirements. To maintain active status as a member of Phi Lambda, you need to be enrolled in the current semester and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25. (If your GPA falls below 3.25, you have a grace period of one semester to improve your GPA.)

You'll start receiving regular emails from our chapter about meetings and events. You are invited to all of them, but you are not required to attend any of them to maintain your membership status.

General Meetings

Every two weeks we have a general meeting. You are welcome to attend and participate in the discussions. If you are already a member, you may also vote on issues. If you're not a member, but are interested, please join us and find out what we do. Check our schedule for dates/times/location of our general meetings. If you have questions or have something you would like the group to consider, contact the Chapter President.

Service Activities

Every semester we schedule service events. Some take place on campus, some are at off-campus locations. Look for emails regarding details and how to volunteer. If you have questions, contact the Vice President of Service.

Fellowship Events

We regularly schedule activities just for fun and fellowship. Many of these are scheduled for the end of a general meeting. We also have off-campus activities. Look for emails for details. If you have questions, contact the Vice President of Fellowship.

Graduation

If you're graduating, congratulations! Check out the approved regalia for PTK members under Graduation Regalia. If you're not graduating, PTK members are eligible to serve as marshals for the ceremony. Contact one of the chapter advisors if you're interested.

Thank you for your interest. We hold elections for Phi Lambda officers every April. Any active member is eligible to run for office.

Read the Constitution in the above section regarding the duties and expectations for each position. Attending a general meeting (or several) is highly recommended and would enable you to see what we do as a group and the roles of the officers. You are also invited to talk with an advisor or one of the current officers about serving as an officer.

Term of office runs for one year, beginning with the start of Summer Semester and concluding with graduation at the end of the following Spring Semester. We will hold orientation/training sessions during the summer. Scheduling of these summer sessions will be based on everyone's availability.

In the event of a vacancy, the Executive Committee may choose to fill a position on an interim basis. Notice of the open position will be posted and members are welcome to apply. The Executive Committee will interview selected candidates and make their decisions following the Chapter Constitution.

Requirements:

• currently enrolled Central Piedmont student and Phi Lambda member with 3.5 cumulative GPA
• not concurrently serving as an officer for another student group
• not on active probationary status or in violation of the Student Code of Conduct
• able to serve entire term (Summer, Fall, and Spring Semesters)
• attend all meetings (every Thursday 2:00 - 3:30)
• expected to attend all events

Links for the applications and elections will be sent by email.

Elections for officers will open April 16. Voting is online and will be open for a week.

After the election period closes, results will be announced after candidates have been notified.

If you joined PTK at another school, you are welcome to attend all of our events and participate as a member. You do not need to transfer your membership to our chapter unless you wish to have your membership noted on your Central Piedmont transcript or if you would like to be a chapter officer.

There is no fee for transferring membership.

If you wish to transfer to our chapter, email us and provide the following information:

• name (include name when inducted, if changed)
• address
• Central Piedmont email
• PTK ID number
• original chapter (school or chapter name)

Benefits of Phi Theta Kappa include:

• Golden Key of Phi Theta Kappa Membership pin
• membership certificate
• Phi Theta Kappa recognition on Central Piedmont diploma
• privilege of wearing the monogrammed golden honors stole and tassel at graduation
• access to "PTK Connect" for opportunities to apply for (mostly transfer) scholarships that are exclusively for Phi Theta Kappa members
• automatic enrollment in the Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Database, which is made available to four-year and senior-level institutions that actively recruit transfer students

There are no scholarships specific to Central Piedmont or to community colleges in general, but Phi Theta Kappa has a number of scholarships available for members. A list of scholarships is available on the organization's website.

The majority of Phi Theta Kappa scholarships are transfer scholarships awarded by universities to transferring students who are PTK members. Regional schools that offer transfer scholarships include Johnson and Wales University, Queens University of Charlotte, Wingate University, Gardner-Webb University, High Point University, and Appalachian State University. You can find a complete list at PTK Connect on the PTK website.

Phi Theta Kappa also offers scholarships available to members nationally regardless of school. These are highly competitive and have intensive applications. You can find more details, including requirements, applications, and dates at the PTK site.

One scholarship available for Central Piedmont students is offered by the State Employees' Credit Union Foundation. This scholarship is separate from PTK and one does not need to be a PTK member to apply, though many of the winners are also members of our chapter. Every fall at our induction ceremony, we honor the winners of the SECU scholarship. For a complete listing of all available scholarships for Central Piedmont students, please visit the Financial Aid website.

Central Piedmont has strict dress guidelines for graduation. Currently, PTK graduates are allowed to wear the PTK stole and/or tassel. These items are not included in your membership dues. They may be purchased from the PTK online store or from the advisors.

Phi Theta Kappa has a number of other regalia items for sale, but none of these are approved for graduation and you will be asked to remove them at graduation. Cords and other regalia for academic excellence at Central Piedmont are provided by the school and can be obtained from the bookstore when you receive your cap and gown.

Phi Theta Kappa general meetings are held every other Thursday from 2-3 p.m. in one of the multipurpose rooms on the first floor of the Parr Center on Central Campus (across from the offices for International Programs).

At our meetings, we discuss upcoming projects and events. We often have speakers present information of interest to Central Piedmont students. Look for emails from us for more details.

You are welcome to join us and participate. If you aren't a member yet, you may still attend and get the chance to learn who we are and what we do.

We hold induction ceremonies for new members every fall and spring semester. You are not required to attend, but we welcome inductees as well as their families and friends to join us for a ceremony recognizing your achievements.

Our induction this semester will be held April 4, 2025, at 3 p.m. in Halton Theater in the Overcash Center. We will send out emails with details (time to arrive, what to wear, where to go, etc.) prior to the ceremony.

If you wish to have your name printed in program, please have your application completed to PTK at least 2 weeks before inductions. You may still participate in the ceremony if you join later, but we will not be able to add your name to the program.

Our chapter organizes service projects every semester, some on-campus, some off-campus. Upcoming projects and opportunities will be presented at our general meetings and communicated via email.

Our service projects are connected to various community agencies, including Classroom Central, Crisis Assistance Ministries, Promising Pages, and Second Harvest Food Bank. Contact our Vice President of Service if you have questions or suggestions.

Phi Lambda chapter also participates in Adopt-A-Street. Each semester, we clean the sidewalks along Elizabeth Avenue from the bridge near McDowell Street all the way up to the hospital. Pick-up sticks, buckets and bags are provided.

There are many opportunities to engage in service, both on campus and in the community. The Service-Learning Center maintains an up-to-date listing of all the community agencies that work with Central Piedmont students.