Eighteen members of the Eta Gamma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Coffeyville Community College attended the Kansas Region Southern District Meeting held at Labette County Community College Saturday, September 10, in Parsons.  Registration began at 9:30 with six community college chapters and more than fifty students in attendance.  Speakers at the event included:  John Stringer, Southern District Vice President; Jennifer Clark, Kansas Region President, Tammy Fuentz, Kansas Region Coordinator; Jacob Asbridge, Kansas Region Vice President of Alumni Relations and Juliana Kepner and Jeff Hughes, Co-Advisors of the Kansas Alumni Association.

The meeting agenda began with the presentation of the six names of the Kansas Region Officer Team which serves the 29 chapters and three districts of the Kansas Region.  It was announced the Kansas Region Honors In Action Conference will be held November 4-6, in Manhattan hosted by the Northern District and the Kansas Region Convention will be held March 9-11 hosted by the Southern District with the place to be announced.

Kansas Region goals as presented by region officers included:  increase membership in the Kansas Region by at least five percent, increase the number of chapters participating in the Kansas Region Honors In Action Project, increase the number of chapters that are at least One Star Chapters, increase the number of chapters and members participating in Kansas Region events, increase the number of members on the region’s Facebook Page, participate in the St. Jude Marathon/Half-Marathon/5K in December, start Phi Theta Kappa Alumni Associations at Pittsburg State and Wichita State universities, increase member participation in the Competitive Edge and College Fish Program and the number of members running for the Kansas Region Officer Team during the March Kansas Region Convention.  Jennifer Clark discussed with attendees the four Hallmarks of Phi Theta Kappa, Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Fellowship.  International programs discussed were the Honors Study Topic:  The Democratization of Information:  Power, Peril, and Promise; the Case Study Challenge, Five Star Chapter, Pinnacle Award and C4:  Community College Completion Corps.  It was announced there is more than $37 million in transfer scholarships available to Phi Theta Kappa members at more than 700 four-year colleges and universities.  Phi Theta Kappa promotes its own Society scholarship programs including All-USA and All-Kansas Academic Teams, Guistwhite Scholarships, Leader of Promise, Hites, and Nota Bene.  CCC members also received training in chapter planning and officer information. 

Following lunch at the LCCC Cafeteria, Jeff Hughes, marathon runner, shared his story regarding his participation in the 2010 St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital Marathon and he encouraged region members to raise money by becoming a St. Jude Hero and to either run or assist with this year’s St. Jude Marathon.  Southern district members were also introduced to Channing Cheer Bear who will participate in region events and be awarded to chapters with the highest scoring chants.

Benefits of Phi Theta Kappa membership include:  resume and scholarship application enhancement, travel opportunities, lifelong friendships, and community service opportunities.

Eta Gamma members attending the Kansas Region Southern District Meeting were:  James Deckard, Muhammed Sannoh, Bryant Traxson, Xavier N’Gouan, Tabitha Vannoster, Cecilia Kamau, Melissa Morgan, Wesley Burdeik, Gabriel Bass, Stephanie Miller, Alexandria Black, Latoya Johnson, Caitlin Hollinger, Hannah Potter, Chris Lindsay, Breno Basoni, Pam Lima, and Linda McFate.

The next scheduled meeting for the chapter is a general membership meeting Monday, September 19, at 6:00 p.m. in room 107, Weinberg Hall.