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Northeast's PTK advisors, chapter member earn five star status

Northeast's PTK advisors, chapter member earn five star status

NORFOLK, NE - Three Northeast Community College employees and one student earned special recognition from an international academic honor society recently.

Colleen Barnes, criminal justice instructor; Andrea Suhr, physical therapist assistant program instructor; and Cara Watchorn, student support specialist at Northeast’s South Sioux City campus, were named five star advisors for Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), Tau Chi chapter. Suhr was also named to the organization’s Kansas Nebraska Regional Advisory Committee.

To earn five star status, advisors must complete a five-level curriculum that includes modules in communications, leadership, service learning, student success and building collaborative partnerships.

Suhr said she and Barnes were looking forward to welcoming Watchorn, the Tau Chi chapter’s newest advisor, to the PTK family.

“Colleen and I are so excited to have Cara join the PTK advisor team at Northeast to strengthen our student engagement at the South Sioux City campus. Cara has put the time into learning the benefits of how PTK can influence our students in achieving their individual goals. Currently, she serves the students by helping them with scholarship application and resume writing, service learning projects and in developing leadership skills.”

“(The advisor training) was a fantastic way to receive suggestions for our chapter from seasoned advisors throughout the country,” Watchorn said. “I am excited to see what impact our new members can make on our campus and in the South Sioux City community through the four PTK pillars of scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship.”

Additionally, Northeast student Serena Clarkson, Norfolk, was recognized as a Five Star Competitive Edge Member for 2018-19 at the Kansas-Nebraska Region PTK Convention. Clarkson completed an online courses that helps students strengthen their workplace and career planning skills.

“Serena is our first student to complete this coursework and receive this recognition,” Suhr said. She has been a great asset to our chapter by encouraging other members to participate in our service learning projects, fundraisers and networking events.”

Since the installation of Northeast’s Tau Chi chapter in 1996, approximately 3,200 students have been inducted into the international academic honor society for two-year colleges. The Tau Chi chapter was honored with four star chapter status for the 2018-19 academic year.

 

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PHOTO ID: Colleen Barnes, Andrea Suhr, Cara Watchorn. Not available: Serena Clarkson. (Courtesy Northeast Community College)