September 9, 2013

Raymond Honors/PTK officers attend two-day staff retreat

RAYMOND – Officers from the Hinds Community College Raymond Campus Honors/PTK program recently attended a two-day work session at Wilsonwood Retreat south of Vicksburg where they organized service projects and…
BY: Cathy Hayden

Honors-PTK-Group

RAYMOND – Officers from the Hinds Community College Raymond Campus Honors/PTK program recently attended a two-day work session at Wilsonwood Retreat south of Vicksburg where they organized service projects and scholarship activities for the fall semester.

The officers shared research that they had collected this summer on World War II salvage (recycling) efforts. This semester they will examine how salvage efforts on the home front during the war contributed to victory. As part of their research, they are planning an oral history project in order to learn first-hand how people in this area were part of those recycling efforts. The group has also planned many activities that will emphasize the continuing importance of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle).

These student officers also completed fun team-building activities in order to get to know one another better and to see the natural leaders in the group in action.  Part of that team building included turning over preparation of all meals for a group of 11 to the students. The group’s faculty advisers simply observed.

“Having everybody work together as a team was a great experience.  It was a lot of fun,” said officer Mesha Blackshear. At the conclusion of the retreat, the group worked in open forum to select team leaders for this school year.

Students with a 3.5 cumulative GPA on at least 12 hours earned at Hinds are encouraged to join the Phi Theta Kappa chapter on their campus and get involved.  Not only will members build strong resumes through the leadership and service opportunities that Phi Theta Kappa provides, but they will also be eligible for transfer scholarships at Mississippi’s four-year college and universities. To learn more about the PTK chapter on each campus or the Honors Institute at Raymond, phone 601.857.3837.

Hinds Community College Raymond Campus Honors/Phi Theta Kappa officers for 2013-2014 include, seated from left, Jessica Glenn of Ridgeland, co-president; Christiane Stephens of Jackson, co-vice president of Chapter Relations/Social Media; standing from left, Mesha Blackshear of Jackson, Associate Student Government representative and photographer; Georgia Swinford of Brandon, co-president; Mahlon Tompkins of Edwards, co-vice president of Membership; Akua Twumasewaah of Clinton, vice president of Service/Grants Researcher; Allan Harris of Jackson, vice president of Operations; Nick Lalo of Brandon, co-vice president of Chapter Relations/Videographer; Deisha Escanear of Wiggins, vice president of Publications/Kappa Chronicle editor. Not pictured are Genevieve Walker of Vicksburg, vice president of Archives and  MS/LA Regional Historian and Deonne Ervin of Pearl, vice president of Membership.