Nineteen members of the Eta Gamma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Coffeyville Community College were among the crowd of over 4,000 students and nearly 600 chapters attending the 94th Annual Convention in Nashville, April 10-15.  This year’s convention set an all-time attendance record for the world’s largest Honor Society.  To promote fellowship among the chapter of the southern district, members from Neosho County, Independence, Labette, and Coffeyville Community College traveled together to the convention.

In route to the convention, the group stopped at Fort Defiance and the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers for a picnic lunch.  Later, the group stopped at Paducah, Kentucky, where they toured the murals on the flood walls, the arts area, and the beautiful homes of the historic area. Fowler Black, representing the Paducah Visitors and Tourism Department served as tour guide. On Wednesday, the local chapter learned some history of the Civil War as they toured Carnton Plantation near Franklin, Tennessee. Carnton witnessed the “five bloodiest hours” of the Civil War – November 30, 1864’s Battle of Franklin.  In just five hours almost 10,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, captured or missing.  Carnton served as the largest Confederate field hospital, as surgeons toiled inside the house; bloodstains still mar the floors.  Robert Hicks immortalized the plantation’s mistress, Carrie McGavock in his New York Times bestseller "The Widow of the South."

Following lunch in the historic town of Franklin, the CCC students then traveled to the village of Leiper’s Fork.  Just off the beautiful Natchez Trace Parkway, Leiper’s Fork is tucked away in some of middle Tennessee’s most beautiful countryside dotted with one-of-a-kind shops, antiques, artisans, and art galleries.  The final tour of the day found chapter members at Belle Meade Plantation which was founded in 1807 by John and Susannah Harding. What began as back country wilderness with a log cabin and 250 acres grew into a massive operation covering 5,400 acres, a mansion, stables, and carriage house.

While in Nashville, the students also had the opportunity to tour the Parthenon which stands proudly as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, Nashville’s premier urban park.  Originally built for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition, this replica of the original Parthenon in Athens serves as a monument to what is considered the pinnacle of classical architecture.  The re-creation of the 42-foot statue Athena is the focus of the Parthenon just as it was in ancient Greece.

Serving as keynote speakers for the convention were Amy Chua, Professor, Yale Law School who addressed “Reshaping American Education in a Global Culture of Competition” and Malcolm Gladwell, a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine and previously a reporter for the Washington Post who spoke on “The Culture of Competition:  What Makes High Achievers Different?”  Eta Gamma Chapter shared their Honors in Action Project, “Education Variables Affecting the Democratization of Information” through the convention’s poster session and Idea Network.  Highlights of the convention were the Saturday evening banquet, “Celebrating Excellence – Honoring Our Advisors” and the Hallmark Award Gala where Eta Gamma received three international awards.  Bryant Traxson received the Distinguished Chapter Member Award; Chapter President Caitlin Hollinger received the Distinguished Chapter Officer Award, and Chapter advisor Linda McFate, the Continued Excellence Award for Advisors. Only thirty international awards were presented in each category.

Students representing Coffeyville Community College at international convention were: LaToya Johnson, Teresa White, Bryant Traxson, Hannah Potter, Jessica Nading, Melissa Morgan, Cecilia Kamau, Rainey Hall, Phillip Hagebusch, Kyle Darnell, Wesley Burdiek, Caitlin Hollinger, Alexandria Black, Caitlin Shepard, Kacie Serrault, Aaron Neely, and Bryn Reid.