PTK members attend the Heartland Region Fall Conference

On Friday, September 29, Phi Theta Kappa members of the Cowley College Alpha Gamma Upsilon chapter left for Kansas City, Kansas, to attend the Heartland Region Fall Conference. Students Cole Batten, Demetrios Catlett, Journey Fannon, Emily Howard, Joriz Mandac, MaKenna Roark, Katelyn Wilson, and advisors Janet Davidson and Julianna Smarsh met with PTK members from all over Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska to engage in regional projects, connect with other PTK members, and tune in to motivational speakers.

The regional PTK officers introduced their annual goals for the current year and also highlighted their Honors in Action research project, centered around the concept of “the art and science of play.”

Regional officers and coordinators shared numerous recommendations on effectively planning the Honors in Action project to assist chapters in achieving a five-star status. Unfortunately, the fellowship activity scheduled for Friday night, where chapters were planning to create teams for a Scholars Bowl competition, had to be postponed.

Furthermore, on Friday evening, PTK members had the opportunity to attend a college fair to engage in meaningful conversations with representatives from numerous transfer colleges during the event. The interactions provided insightful information about the colleges and allowed members to gain a deeper understanding of the scholarships and financial aid opportunities offered by these colleges.

PTK members were divided into groups beyond their chapters and placed into “mock chapters.” Throughout this weekend, within the newly formed groups, members embarked on an exciting challenge: the creation of both a college project and an Honors in Action project.

This collaboration allowed members to blend their perspectives and ideas to foster innovation and creativity. Ultimately, these projects would be showcased as the mock chapters presented their projects to the conference, providing an opportunity for students to learn more about how to form and succeed in these projects.

According to Journey Fannon, Cowley Colleges Chapter Vice President of membership and fellowship, “My mock chapter covered how to create an Honors in Action project and our college project, we went into great depth, and it gave me an insight into what is expected of my Alpha Gamma Upsilon chapter. My personal mock chapter decided that for our HIA, we would compare the Gen-X version of “play” to Millennials, and for our college project, we created a college closet so that everyone had access to clothing if they could not afford their own.”

On Saturday morning, members participated in a series of informative breakout sessions covering a range of topics, including Membership Recruitment and Engagement, Edge Programs (geared towards improving essential skills and enhancing students’ competitiveness in the job market), PTK Scholarships, Five Star Chapter Development, Running for Regional and International Officer, and Fundraising.

On Saturday night, members visited Dave and Busters, where students were able to eat dinner together, play fun arcade games, and have the chance to win exciting prizes.

The conference featured numerous inspiring speakers encouraging students to embrace confidence in their decisions and make the most of available opportunities. The esteemed award-winning speaker, Adrienne Bulinski, was kicking off the conference on Friday night, whose presentation centered around the pivotal theme of “Perseverance with Grit.”

Reflecting on her presentation, Emily Howard shared, “I realized firsthand that resilience is the way we can turn our dreams into reality.”

On Saturday, students heard from Amy Winters, a PTK chapter advisor who motivates others to unlock their full potential. She delivered a speech titled “Learn to FLEX and love SUCCESS,” in which she passionately delved into the importance of adaptability and embracing achievement.

To close the conference, on Sunday morning, members heard from Mary Kelly, a speaker who specializes in leadership growth that helps organizations improve their profitability and productivity. Students were taught how to become an effective leader in her speech, “Why Leaders Fail & 7 Prescriptions for Success.”

In summary, the weekend was a blend of education, enjoyment, and fellowship. Emily Howard, the President of Cowley College’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter, shared her thoughts on the Kansas City PTK conference, remarking, “The Kansas City PTK conference was an exceptional introduction to the realm of leadership. Our group was incredibly fortunate to experience this conference and attend Dave and Busters as a bonding experience with our chapter. The inspirational speakers emphasized the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and effective leadership, offering valuable lessons that I am eager to apply to support our chapter’s growth and success.”

Rama Peroo | Director of Institutional Communication
Cowley College
125 S. 2nd Street
Arkansas City, KS 67005
rama.peroo@cowley.edu