New president elected for organization.
By Jon Hernandez
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Nine members of Phi Theta Kappa, this college’s honors organization, will be participating in a regional conference Oct. 11-13 at Grayson College in Denison.
The national conference will take place April 2-4 at Gaylord Texan Resort Convention Center in Grapevine.
About 4,000 students who are members of the organization from all over attend the national conference, Jim Lucchelli, professor of student development and faculty adviser for the organization, said Sept. 16.
“We have an agenda during our conferences. I always tell my students to spread it out and not have every student talk about the same topics,” Lucchelli said.
During the conferences, the organization covers leadership development and scholarship workshops “where you learn how to properly fill out and apply for scholarships,” Samantha Grimaldi, president of Phi Theta Kappa, said Sept. 16.
She is a communication design sophomore.
“The regional conferences are Texas based. Both regional and national conferences happen once every year,” Grimaldi said.
“For the conferences there is one sponsor to every nine members due to the college rule.”
“It is like an elementary school field trip. You have to have one chaperone per so many children,” she said.
The rule applies when the organization is traveling.
“Since we only have one sponsor, only nine members can go,” she said.
This conference is paid by student life from the student activity budget, Grimaldi said.
The students will travel in a van to the event.
Grimaldi became a member in July.
She was elected president of the organization with 97 members on Sept. 11.
Officer meetings will be at 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the craft room of Loftin Student Center.
Starting Oct. 2, the officer meetings will be on the first, third, and fifth Wednesday.
In November, officer meetings will change to the second and fourth Wednesday.
Chapter and general meetings are at 2:30 p.m., starting Sept. 25 on Wednesdays at same location.
These meetings will be on the second, and fourth Wednesdays.
General meetings “give a chance for members to bring new discussions they want the organization to know about or discuss,” Grimaldi said.
To become a member of the organization, students need to have 12 credit hours completed and have a GPA 3.5 or higher and be enrolled in six hours or more.
Students who qualify will be sent an email.
“Every semester we collect a list of students that are eligible. From there we send the National Office of PTK the names and email. Then they email the students an official invitation,” Grimaldi said.
Students who meet the requirements also can talk to Lucchelli about becoming a member.
“Being in the organization gives you opportunities for scholarships, and it can build résumés,” Lucchelli said.
Nonmembers can observe general meetings but are not allowed to take part in voting.
For more information, call Lucchelli at 210-486-0152.