“Wisdom,” “Aspiration,” and “Purity.” This are the Greek letters from which Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) derives its name. PTK is an international honor society across 10 nations with nearly 1,300 chapters. For 105 years, PTK has equipped students with community, service opportunities, leadership experience, and scholarships. Nu Pi was named the official PTK chapter at Sinclair in 1964. Dr. DeAnn Hurtado, Professor in the business and management department, has been at Sinclair College for 23 years and the PTK advisor for 2 years.
“The mission of PTK is to empower students to achieve their academic goals. One of my favorite things about PTK is seeing students take the initiative to accomplish the things that are important to them. They hone their leadership skills and prepare for their future careers while bettering the community,” Dr. Hurtado said.
Since the pandemic, many student clubs have put in huge effort to regroup their members in post- pandemic recovery. PTK is making a promising come-back this year after hosting an induction ceremony, orientation meeting, and a Nu Pi social get-together.
“I’m looking forward to membership growth and professional and social networks for students so that they can become instrumental in shaping our community, which includes the community within Nu Pi and PTK, but also the community at Sinclair, Dayton, and the surrounding areas,” Dr. Hurtado continued.
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PTK recognizes the importance of community. PTK is mostly student-run and encourages members to dream big and provides them with the tools to realistically meet their aspirations. Currently, Nu Pi’s student president and officers are setting up service opportunities with organizations like Sinclair’s food pantry, local MetroParks, and volunteering at Sinclair’s commencement ceremony. All Nu Pi members are welcome to participate in these activities to earn points towards getting Nu Pi scholarships.
“What unifies PTK members and brings them together is twofold,” said Dr. Hurtado, “they are looking for a way to better themselves, their lives, their families, and others around them.”
PTK members aspire to not only change the here and now, but also the future to come. She closed with a powerfully propelling call to action by saying,
“It is key to know that so many clubs have had to regroup after COVID, but now is the time. Now is the time to get involved, to shape what the future is like for PTK and for our community.”
If you are interested in joining PTK, you can learn more about it on Sinclair’s website and at ptk.org. You can also contact ptknupi@sinclair.edu, jamie.clay@sinclair.edu, or call (937)512-4331 to find out if you are eligible.
Heaven Diastello
Staff writer/social media coordinator