NORFOLK, Neb. – Approximately 70 students at Northeast Community College have qualified for membership in the Phi Theta Kappa, (PTK), Tau Chi Chapter during the spring semester.
Since the installation of Northeast’s Tau Chi chapter in 1996, 3,400 students have been inducted into the international academic honor society for two-year colleges. For over 100 years, membership in Phi Theta Kappa has signified a singular honor and a willingness to embrace the Society’s shared commitment to academic excellence.
The organization’s mission is two-fold: recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership, service and fellowship programming. PTK is the largest honor society in higher education.
During the ceremony, Amanda Nipp, vice president of student services at Northeast, welcomed the new members into PTK. She shared that students had to meet a certain grade point average (GPA) and other criteria to meet the requirements for induction.
“A grade point average of 3.5 and higher is a significant achievement. You really are the best of the best at Northeast Community College. Congratulations,” she told inductees. “Our Phi Theta Kappa advisors and I are excited to see the next chapter of students be inducted. These are going to be the students we’ll get to know like we have with the current officers and members of the Tau Chi Chapter. We are excited to begin working on a variety of projects as we have done with one another already.”
To be eligible for induction into PTK, students must have earned at least 12 credit hours and achieved a minimum GPA of 3.5 or above out of a 4.0 system.
The following Northeast Community College students have qualified for PTK for the Spring 2023 semester:
Nebraska
Arcadia – Kaitlyn Heyen.
Ashton – Kylie Jerabek.
Battle Creek – Sandra Fern Bolarong.
Beaver Crossing – Joseph Kenning.
Beemer – Micah Goedeken.
Callaway – Bryant Leeper.
Chadron – Nicole Cover.
Crofton – Christine Mosher.
Dakota City – Paula Lepon.
David City – Gretchen Kozisek.
Dodge – Brady Lund.
Elwood – Carsen Reiners.
Fordyce – Makayla Bruce.
Fremont – Rachel Gaver, Victoria Godfrey, Owen Pruss, Shelby Tracy, Breena Walkenhorst.
Geneva – Kellan Wusk.
Glenvil – Lydia Fitzke.
Gothenburg – Kali Meester.
Humphrey – Eli McPhillips.
Imperial – Brice Vitosh.
Madison – Andrew Pearson.
Milford – Avery Saltzman.
Norfolk – Dillon Arnold, Cameron Blain, Calie Booth, Haley Bovee, Samantha Cadwell, Courteny Gerdes, Natalie Knapp, Bailey Lemburg, Kendra Loecker, Mathews Ndipo, Riley Pena, Yatzari Ramirez, Lucas Ransen, Sheridan Smejkal, Alyssa Sullivan, Kaleb Wragge.
North Bend – Owen Ortmeier.
Omaha – Alexis Bentley, Garet Lockhart,
Ord – Keely Holm, Dayton Vanosdall.
South Sioux City – Estefany Gonzalez, Alexis Larvick, Kimberly Torres Gonzalez.
Stanton – Grant Frerichs.
Tekamah – Noah Stahr.
Verdigre – Abby Frank.
Wakefield – Andres Velazquez.
Wayne – Kiera Brader, Spencer Landkamer.
West Point – Kelly Hansen.
Wisner – Teresa Russman, Rockney Peck.
Wood Lake – Holden Mundorf.
Yutan – Rhett Larson.
Out of State
Oh., Grove City – Kelsey Morbitzer.
Pa., White Haven – Joshua Snyder.
Wa., Bothell – Oliver Ward.
Co., Castle Rock – Jaidyn Cavalieri, Aidyn Woodall.
Ia., Sioux City – Eileen Hernandez Lopez.
Kan., Olathe – Pierce Wright.
So., Dak., Brandon – Emmet Hansen.
Officers of the PTK Tau Chi Chapter for the 2022-23 academic year are Douglas Stahlecker, McLean. Delaney Shears, Alda, is vice president of leadership; Joyce Pojar, Madison, vice president of scholarship; Tory Halsey, Chambers, vice president of fellowship; and Bethany Rupprecht, Clarkson, secretary.
In addition to Nipp, other Northeast Phi Theta Kappa sponsors are Colleen Barnes, criminal justice instructor, and Andrea Suhr, physical therapist assistant instructor.
Northeast Community College offers over 130 programs and concentrations of study preparing students for immediate employment or transfer to a four-¬year college or university.
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PHOTO CUTLINE
Lucas Ransen, Norfolk, is congratulated by Amanda Nipp, vice president of student services at Northeast Community College, as she welcomes him into the College’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Tau Chi Chapter during a ceremony recently in Norfolk. Ransen was one of approximately seventy students who have qualified for membership in Northeast’s PTK chapter during the Spring 2023 semester.