DCC PHI THETA KAPPA GROUP

REACHES OUT TO COMMUNITY

DANVILLE, VA, August 1, 2002 -- How does a children’s party at a domestic violence shelter help a battered woman go to college? The answer is when that woman is a mother who sincerely appreciates the college students’ community service activities at the shelter and wants to know more about the students and their school -- Danville Community College. That’s one of the many success stories for members of DCC’s Upsilon Phi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.

Each year, members perform a number of community service projects, including Halloween and Easter Egg Hunt parties at DOVES, a shelter for battered women, and clean up, fix up projects at a Homeless Shelter. Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for students enrolled in two-year colleges. Recently, the DCC chapter reaped awards at the regional level, and earned international acclaim for their projects.

At the regional convention, the chapter was named a "Five Star" chapter (out of five stars); won a third place award for its yearbook; won a first place award for its newsletter; was named a distinguished chapter for the Virginia Region; and won Hallmark awards in scholarship (second place), leadership (second place) and fellowship (first place). The chapter also received $400 in award money for their efforts.

At the international level, the yearbook won awards, and one of the chapter co-advisers, Charlie Adams, Professor of Information Systems Technology, was recognized for distinguished service as a chapter adviser.

Vickie Holland Taylor, Assistant Professor of Sociology and chapter co-

adviser who has guided the Phi Theta Kappa group for 14 years, says she is equally pleased that the chapter placed in the top 100 chapters internationally for

the second consecutive year.

Taylor has taught sociology for 31 years at DCC, and she is a pin-wearing proponent of Phi Theta Kappa or PTK, as it is known. The PTK group is one of DCC’s most active clubs on campus, and is responsible for many annual service-learning projects.

"It’s infectious," Taylor said about the camaraderie in the group, whose members include males and females, ranging in age from 18 to 60.

"One thing about it, we have spirit," says Taylor, gesturing toward "Spirit Bear," the inanimate but powerful mascot of the chapter. The T-shirt wearing stuffed animal goes everywhere the chapter travels.

While Taylor admits delight in the bevy of honor society awards, she said her thrill is getting to know her students and watching them develop leadership skills and self-confidence in many classes.

"I love taking students to places they’ve never been and meeting new people. That’s a lot of reward," said Taylor. "They get so much more out of college.”

Taylor said during 2001, 131 DCC students were inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, and in Spring 2001, 37 new members were inducted.

Each semester about 200 DCC students are eligible for membership in the honor society, which has recognized academic excellence in two-year colleges since 1918. Phi Theta Kappa has approximately 1.2 million members in the United States, Canada and Japan.

To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a regional accredited institution offering an associate degree program; they must have completed at least 12 hours of coursework leading to an associate degree, and they must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20. Since Taylor took the helm as advisor of the honor society, part-time DCC students are now eligible for membership.

Membership brings prestige and the availability of millions in scholarship money,

plus the chance to obtain special internships. Today, total membership for the DCC chapter numbers 130-plus students, Taylor said. Of those, 40 students are actively involved in Phi Theta Kappa’s service projects, including work at DOVES and Danville’s Homeless Shelter.

At a Homeless Shelter in Danville, operated by the Rev. Larry Hill, the honor society members painted and cleaned the facility. This included clearing out some old donations that dated back to the 1970s, Taylor said.

"We’re really proud of our work there. Our reward is in knowing we’re helping Rev. Hill and our community, " Taylor adds.

Last year, the chapter placed in the top 25 clubs nationally for service, Taylor says. In fact, the Phi Theta Kappans’ ongoing work at the homeless shelter helped to double the sleeping space for women.

"Some of the DOVES clients have come to DCC," said Taylor, who gives her sociology class students extra credit for donating much-needed toiletries to DOVES. Also, when the Phi Theta Kappans travel, they save the miniature soaps and shampoo bottles to give to DOVES and Homeless Shelter clients.

The Honor Society has also conducted service projects at the Salvation Army and HOPE Harbor. Other projects include "Conquering Cancer" which raises money for the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation through car washes and candy sales on campus. The “Conquering Cancer project is especially of interest to Taylor since she is a breast cancer survivor.

However, service is just one of three hallmarks of Phi Theta Kappa. The others are Scholarship, Leadership and Fellowship.

"It’s so rewarding getting into the service projects, when you see the

need," said Joyce Burton of Halifax, a Phi Theta Kappan who recently graduated with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Administrative Support

Technology – Medical Office Specialization.

"I think you grow as a person and you do learn to become a leader," said Burton, who has been a member for two years. "You get hooked. Once you do

one activity, you’ll make the time to do more. I’m glad I did."

Fellow Honor Society member Cheryl Hill of Halifax agreed. "One of the most important things we do is community service," said Hill, who also recently graduated with an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Administrative Support Technology – Medical Office Specialization. Hill enrolled at DCC shortly

after losing her job at Tultex. She served as President this past year.

"Community service opens up a whole new world to students. I was really hesitant at first. I joined one thing and it snowballed. I think it has added so much to these two years," said Hill, who is transferring to Bluefield College in the fall.

Catherine Lewis Womack of South Boston, who designed the award-winning Phi Theta Kappa yearbook, is a mother, a student and a part-time worker in DCC’s Financial Aid Office. She, too, came to DCC after the Halifax County Tultex plant closed. Womack also recently graduated with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Administrative Support Technology – General Office Specialization. Because of her interest in crafts and other creative pursuits, Womack says she was delighted to work with the yearbook project.

“It was part of my responsibilities as Leadership Chair to create the yearbook,” Womack says. "Working in Phi Theta Kappa has been a learning experience. Just meeting all the people was great.”

For Taylor, the most difficult part of advising Phi Theta Kappa is not having enough time for its many projects, paperwork, trips and creative endeavors, but it is saying goodbye to the graduating members. But that dismay is quickly dissipated by her joy at inducting a new group of chapter members.

“Some of the Phi Theta Kappa members are in very different places from

two years ago. Many lost their jobs in local factories and had to start over. Going back to school was a tough decision fraught with the stress of balancing family, child care and part-time jobs,” Taylor says. "It makes me very proud of these students. We said from the outset that we’re not in this alone; we’re all in this together. We start all meetings with a hug – or a ‘virtual hug’ for those who are leery.

"I think spirit sums up what we are all about," Taylor adds.

For more information about the Upsilon Phi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at Danville Community College , contact Vickie Holland Taylor at (434) 797-8452.