SANFORD - Academic achievement and service were celebrated March 21 as Central Carolina Community College's Beta Sigma Phi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society held its 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.

Rogelio Salvador, Phi Theta Kappa Alumnus, was the speaker for the event held at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center. A student at Campbell University majoring in Finance with a minor in Economics, Salvador said that being inducted into Phi Theta Kappa is a reward for outstanding performance and committing of getting the highest grades possible.

"Whether if you're planning on transferring to a four-year university, or you're planning on entering the workforce upon your graduation here at Central Carolina, your designation as a Phi Theta Kappan is definitely going to serve as a booster through the application process. But even better than that are the skills that you can acquire by being actively involved with the honor society," said Salvador. "Think of it this way; right now, you are being given a key to a room filled with a vast array of opportunities. Now, it is entirely up to you to decide how much advantage you want to take of each of these opportunities.

"Some of those opportunities include the ability to develop your professional skills, such as your research and writing abilities, as well as communication and leadership skills. You also have the opportunity to develop your soft skills, which are the skills that enable you to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people," said Salvador. "Then there's also the opportunity of having access to scholarships that are made exclusively for Phi Theta Kappans, something you definitely want to take advantage of. However, the more important opportunity that is given to you when joining Phi Theta Kappa, in my opinion, is the opportunity to converge with other like-minded individuals that come from different backgrounds but have the same goal in mind: to be the best scholarly servant leader that one can possibly be. I believe this to be very valuable since you truly learn a lot through the many great friendships that you make while actively participating at Phi Theta Kappa meetings and events."

Salvador said he believes he reached a goal set forth by Phi Theta Kappa -- to become a servant leader. "Just as I made that accomplishment here at Central Carolina, I'm certain that many of you will do so as well," he said. "Congratulations to you all on the great achievement that you have made tonight. Your induction into Phi Theta Kappa serves as a major stepping-stone toward a very successful future. With that said, please, continue to strive forward just as you have been doing and continue to excel at everything that you do. I sincerely wish you all the very best in all of your future endeavors."

Dr. Rodney Powell, Chapter Advisor and Chemistry Instructor, gave the welcome and introduction of guest speakers. Becky Finken, Chapter Advisor and English Instructor, led the Recessional.

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

Each of the inductees recited the Oath of Membership to uphold the standards of Phi Theta Kappa and signed their name in the membership book.

CCCC had its own honor society, Alpha Theta Tau, from 1986 until the chartering of the Phi Theta Kappa chapter in 2010. The idea for joining PTK was brought to the college when Dr. T. Eston Marchant became president in 2008.

Phi Theta Kappa officers conducted the induction ceremony.

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 2018 spring inductees are:

Angier: Jamilyn Gardner

Apex: Julie Johnston

Bennett: Makenzi Brady, Farrah Ritter

Bunnlevel: Larrine Arnett

Bynum: Sarah Plonk

Cameron: Stephanie Sellers, Jada Vega

Carthage: Stacey Hinman

Cary: Cori Rogers

Chapel Hill: Sarah Austin, Erin Lyon, Jennifer May, Tristan Marquise

Climax: Katherine Turner

Coats: Megan Pope

Dunn: Ocean Bailey Ramirez, Jessup Overton, Kilvet Zalavarria

Durham: Glenn Burger

Erwin: Allyson Lee

Fayetteville: Judith Brown, Tara Gillis, Naomi Savaro

Kannapolis: Corban Ehmke

Lillington: Hannah Allen, Connor Lawson, Karina Soriano

Moncure: Abigail Owensby

Pittsboro: Cesar Chavez, Matthew Ford, Olivia Kilafwasru, Matthew Mertz

Ramseur: Nancy Almanza-Quiroz, Jason Foulks

Reidsville: Kaitlyn Walker

Sanford: Katelynn Bowles, Elizabeth Bucaro Vasquez, Madison Bullard, Ashleigh Cates, Mikayla Comer, Madison Cottrell, Rebecca Crabtree, Joshua Edson, Brian Edwards, Chase Erford, Anna Eubanks, Emma Ferguson, Paula Funes, Va Tonya Gardner, Tina Gross, Rachel Higgins, Jayne Holland, Seth Hoyle, Yingley Lee, John Louden, Marianna Lucas, Victoria Malagon, Jennifer May, Catherine McDaniel, Martha Nemec, Kenzie Oldham, Leslie Oldham, Kaylee Painer, George Perez, Brianna Peters, Catherine Ragan, Jaideep Ramani, Frank Roth Ewens, Nickie Runyan, Robert Saul, Olivia Shaw, Mia Simpson, Brianna Smith, Janet Smith, Callie Steger, Zachory Thomas, Sabrina Tillman, Emily Vilchis Moreno

Siler City: Shana Johnson, William Milholen, Elizabeth Plata

Spring Lake: Ashley Adkins, Darci Benchley, DeAngela Brown, Thomas Eldridge

Timberlake: Clayton Shaw

West End: Brianna New

Waipahu, HI: Charida Ramones

Chapter officers are: President Nicole Thompson, Vice President Rasheed Jones, Public Relations Secretary Gazal Alowdi, and Recording Secretary Leslie Bridges.

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."