The Beta Nu Sigma Chapter of Richmond Community College’s Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society inducted 54 members Thursday night in a ceremony marked with tradition and honor. Students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and completed a minimum of 12 semester credit hours to be eligible to join. PTK members are distinguished at graduation by wearing the gold double honor cords and honors stole embroidered with the PTK logo.

Richmond County residents named to PTK are: Valnice Benoy, Israel Braddock, Sharon Coleman, Christina Collins, Malinda Dial, Shannon Davis, Stephanie Deese, Alicia Dunn, Brittany Durden, Kevin Ferron, Chelsi Frazer, Jacqueline Heflin, James Hinson, Linda Hutton, Kristen Johnson, Jerry Morse, James Newsom, Kimberly Nicholson, Pamela Nicholson, Christopher Norton, Mary Prevatte, Glenda Outen, Alycia Paul, Vicky Poe, Timothy Price, David Stewart, and Henry Valdez.

RCC Associate Professor of English Michael Fair was the keynote speaker. He congratulated the students on their accomplishments and reminded them that earning a degree was “capital in the game of life.”

“Your achievement means you’re on the road to success. Too many people settle for mediocrity. Your presence here shows you have the courage to seek your dreams,” he said.

Established by Missouri two-year college presidents in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming. Today, Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 1.3 million members and 1,100 chapters located in 50 United States, U.S. territories, Canada, Germany, and Japan. In 1929, the American Association of Community Colleges recognized Phi Theta Kappa as the official honor society for two-year colleges.