Featured Story

Pi Lambda honors student earns national award

Thursday, Apr 26, 2012
Joseph Hunter

Pi Lambda, Seminole State's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, was named a Distinguished Chapter in Florida. Here, members pose as chapter president Ken DeMoya holds the award.

Seminole State honors student Mary "Raven" Anderson was honored with one of only 30 Distinguished Chapter Member Awards nationwide.

Seminole State College’s honors students have been winning national recognition this semester.

At the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) National Convention in Jacksonville April 13-14, Seminole State honors student Mary “Raven” Anderson was one of 30 students nationwide – and one of only three in Florida – to win a Distinguished Chapter Member Award. Anderson serves as the executive vice president of Pi Lambda, Seminole State’s PTK chapter, at the Altamonte Campus.

After graduation, Anderson hopes to attend the University of Central Florida and work toward a doctorate in applied sociology. Her goal is a career in social statistics with a focus on LGBT issues. Anderson was also one of five Seminole State students honored earlier this month as a member of the PTK All-Florida Academic Team.

The Distinguished Chapter Member Award is given to students who embody PTK’s four Hallmarks: leadership, scholarship, service and fellowship.

At the PTK Regional Convention held March 2-4 in Jacksonville, Pi Lambda was named a Distinguished Chapter in Florida. The award recognizes Pi Lambda as one of the top 10 chapters in the state, and 2012 is the third consecutive year Seminole State’s chapter has received this honor. The award recognizes the chapter’s success in achieving PTK’s four Hallmarks.

To be considered for the award, chapters are asked to participate in projects based on a designated, PTK-approved study topic and then compose and present essay-like write-ups summarizing the projects.

Pi Lambda’s projects this year focused on “Democratization of Information: Power, Peril, and Promise.” Projects included:

• Holding seminars informing students about scholarship resources available to them, including those from the Foundation for Seminole State College of Florida. The seminars were led by Christopher Posey, Pi Lambda’s vice president of scholarship.
• Working with Seminole State’s administration to distribute recycling bins on campus. Chapter president Ken DeMoya spearheaded this project.

In addition to recognition as a Distinguished Chapter, Pi Lambda was rated a five-star chapter – which is the highest possible grade – for its involvement on campus and around the community.

Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society for two-year colleges. For more information, please visit the Honors Institute online.