SANFORD - Academic achievement and service were celebrated April 20 as Central Carolina Community College's Beta Sigma Phi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society held its virtual spring induction ceremony.

Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in American higher education. In 1929, the American Association of Community Colleges recognized PTK as the official honor society for two-year colleges. The CCCC chapter sets a higher standard for membership eligibility than the national organization: a 3.7 grade point average rather than the 3.5 GPA that national requires.

The CCCC Beta Sigma Phi Chapter has achieved the PTK Five-Star ranking -- the highest ranking a chapter can receive for excellence - for six consecutive years.

Pattie Van Atter, PTK National Chapter Development and Outreach Coordinator, was the speaker for the event.

"I hope right now wherever you are sitting and watching this that you feel a very huge sense of pride for yourself," said Van Atter, adding that being inducted into the largest honor society in the country is definitely an honor. Van Atter noted that PTK provides opportunities for members to grow as scholars and leaders. She said, in concluding, "I want to congratulate all of you."

Dr. Rodney Powell, CCCC Chapter Advisor and Executive Director of the Center for Academic Excellence, was Master of Ceremonies for the program. He is a recipient of the PTK's prestigious Horizon Award.

CCCC President Dr. Lisa M. Chapman offered her congratulations to the new PTK inductees, saying that this is not only a recognition of academic accomplishment but of overall excellence.

Current Phi Theta Kappa members Audrey Thomas and William Tucker participated in the program.

Phi Theta Kappa is composed of Greek words symbolizing wisdom, aspiration, and purity. A white rose symbolizes purity, beauty of life, and intellectual associations, while the oak and laurel leaves on the PTK emblem represent stability, character, achievement, and success.

CCCC had its own honor society, Alpha Theta Tau, from 1986 until the chartering of the Phi Theta Kappa chapter in 2010.

In its years of existence, the college's Beta Sigma Phi Chapter has garnered a number of prestigious recognitions from PTK. These include the Five-Star ranking -- the highest ranking a chapter can receive for excellence, and awards at regional PTK conferences. It has also reached out to the community with service projects, such as assisting food banks and shelters.

The 2021 spring inductees are:

Angier: Caleb Denning, Kelly Ennis, Arianna Mellardo, Cora Shelltrack-Miller, Bristol Wilson

Apex: Carly Clapper, Samuel Pasquale

Bear Creek: James Keith, Heidi Schouten

Bennett: Grace Jones

Broadway: John Danh, Aaron Garcia, Sydney Hickman, Tyler Moller, John Patterson

Browns Summit: Callie Tollison

Cameron: Keana Belfor, Shubricca Bell, Tina Blue, Natasha Galloza Rosado, Adrianna Graulau, Elyse Johnson, Kristie Lassitter, Dominique Madonna, Emily Pittman, Cristian Ramirez, Zainab Shinaba, Isabella Walters

Carthage: Karen Gantt

Cary: Thomas Houser, Felice Kho

Chapel Hill: Emily Ames, Imagene Cooke, Kaio Cowherd, George Gilson, Samuel Griffith, James Kirk, Lauren Maclean, Tamarr Moore, Grace O'Hara, Heather Taylor, Jackson Thompson, Sophia Wilson, Abigail Wright

Coats: Amanda Ivey, William Newton

Dunn: Alexis Cordero, Thomas Hovey, Danya Musleh, Claude Pope, Kensie Smith, Taylor Wilson

Edenton: Lauren Smith

Erwin: Nicholas Clayton, Hailey Kessler

Fuquay Varina: Christian Brandt, Asbel Chilel, Sunnie McDonald, Haley Millard

Goldston: Miranda Butler, Holley Clark

Havelock: Stephanie Simcox

Holly Springs: Gail Faulkner

Jacksonville: Jessica Creasy

Lemon Springs: Amy Cochran

Lillington: Natalia Brocious, Micah Ellington, Reid Gregory, Cheyenne Happ, Suzanna Hobbs, Nicole Kida, Logan Martin, Billy Riggsbee, Steven Schlink, Barbara Taylor, Brianna Veres

Mount Airy: Lauren Reynolds

New Hill: Alyssa O'Shields

Pittsboro: Joseph Carreiro, Brooklyn Craig, Kelsey Dillon, Michael Hubbard, Joshua King, Vincent Kressevich, Melanie Mather, Patrick McCaw, Katherine Skeen, Kayleigh Smith, Amelia Spell, Leslie Wiseman

Raeford: Nykale Locklear

Raleigh: Grace McAllister, Pricilla Watkins

Sanford: Benjamin Armstrong, Camryn Armstrong, Gabrielle Bass, Raymond Biehl, Anna Boone, Debriana Brazzanovich, Mackenzie Brisendine, Cody Cameron, Madeline Cantrell, Anna Crowder, Angela R. Dagondon, Kaycee Davis, Mauro Di Ilio, Eileen Dove, Elizabeth Eckert, Clara Galeano, Jazmine Gutierrez, James Holley, Callie Hughes, Jacob Kimble, Jessica King, Erik Lamothe, Jailene Lemus-Hurtado, Darlene Lizotte, Melisa Marquina, Jessica McGinty, Hannah McGuire, Erica McLean, Samuel Nickens, Kayla Olivares, Evan Pruette, Yanira Rivera, Melissa Rae Rodriguez, Samantha Sama, Nina Sikora, Mia Sosa-Dejesus, Alexis Spruiell, Ethan Stanley, Grier Staples, Grace Stewart, Audrey Thomas, Julie Thomas, Stewart Thomas, William Tucker, Jackie Vollbracht, Macie Watson

Siler City: Sarah Lawter, Colin McDaniel, Chadwick Moore, Miguel Olivares, Margaret Safrit, Sarah Walters

Smithfield: Robert McLamb

Snow Camp: Bianca Camilo

Southern Pines: Brooke Mussman

Spring Lake: Aliyah Calhoun, Vanessa Campos, Khalya Green, Taylor Meldrom, Jenna Skinner, Azan'Ah Teague, Michaela Wilson

Vass: Toshebia Snipes

Vilas: Elizabeth Ward

Wendell: Daniel Estrada-Morales

Chester, NY: Miranda Aquino

Crewe, VA: Deidra Knight

Easley, SC: Kirstyn Oaks

For more information about Phi Theta Kappa at CCCC, visit the college's Web site, www.cccc.edu, click on "Site A-Z," then "P" for "Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society."

For more information on Central Carolina Community College - which is dedicated to providing pathways to achievable dreams, visit www.cccc.edu.