Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) recently honored both CGCC President Dr. Greg Peterson the local College PTK chapter. Dr. Peterson was selected as a PTK Paragon President and the local Alpha Sigma Nu Chapter was officially named a 2020 Reach Chapter.
The Paragon Award honors new college presidents who have shown strong support for student success by recognizing academic achievement, leadership and service among high-achieving students at their college. Recipients are nominated for the award by the students on their campus. Dr. Peterson is one of only 28 awardees from more than 500 eligible college presidents. He, along with the other recipients, will be recognized during PTK Catalyst 2020, the Society’s annual convention, April 2-4 in Grapevine, TX.
“I am honored to receive the Paragon Award for New Presidents,” said Dr. Peterson. “Student success is a core value at Chandler-Gilbert. Being nominated by students and recognized by PTK is truly an outstanding accolade. I share this award with our dedicated faculty and staff who share my passion for student success. As a PTK alumnus, I am proud of our current PTK students and the growth of our chapter. I congratulate them on being named a 2020 REACH Chapter.”
“Dr. Peterson’s leadership and emphasis on student growth is an asset for our college and the Chapter,” said Ryan Cain, CGCC Student Services Director and PTK Chapter Advisor. “Local chapter PTK Students were passionate about nominating Dr. Peterson because of his commitment to creating an inclusive environment, participating in their events and highlighting their successes, and his overall commitment to students at CGCC. They truly value his positivity and his tireless efforts to promote student success at CGCC.”
The REACH program honors PTK chapters that focus on Recognizing Excellence in Acceptance and Completion with Honors. The REACH Rewards program encourages membership by rewarding chapters who achieve or exceed 15 percent for their membership acceptance rate. More than 121,600 students across the world became PTK members in 2019. The 2020 REACH Chapters will receive free graduation stoles for their members.
“We created this program because we believe strongly in the mission of Phi Theta Kappa and want as many students as possible to receive the benefits of membership,” PTK President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner said. “Increased opportunities to apply for scholarships and engage with their peers and key faculty members lead to higher completion rates, and students get those opportunities through PTK.”
“We are thrilled to be named a 2020 REACH Chapter,” said Cain. “Increasing awareness about the benefits our students receive as PTK members is an important goal, as it allows us to welcome more students into the fellowship. As PTK advisors at CGCC, we strive to create opportunities for our students to develop their full scholarship potential, enrich their academic experience through projects which positively impact the college and the community, and support them as they work towards goal completion. We look forward to continuing to grow the Alpha Sigma Nu chapter with more promising leaders and scholars.”
PTK students have a 91 percent student success rate of completing an associate degree or transferring to a four-year school. Members have access to $2 million in competitive scholarships through the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation and additional scholarship opportunities through local chapters.
For more information on Phi Theta Kappa, visit ptk.org.