69 students from the Northern Marianas College pledged to distinguish themselves through academic excellence by contributing to the community and the Commonwealth through various community service and leadership activities as new members and officers of the Beta Lambda Psi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa or PTK International Honor Society.
The new members of the PTK Honor Society were inducted on Friday, October 4, 2024, at the American Memorial Park Visitors Center Theater. Nearly 500 members have been inducted into Phi Theta Kappa since the student organization was revitalized in 2019.
In order to qualify for membership in Phi Theta Kappa, students must distinguish themselves by maintaining a 3.5 cumulative grade point average in addition to serving and contributing to the community through various community service and leadership activities.
“On behalf of the advisors, I want to congratulate our Phi Theta Kappans for their hard work and commitment to the four pillars of the organization–scholarship, leadership, fellowship, and service. They continue to amaze us with their accomplishments. I also want to congratulate our incoming officers for taking the lead in this event and I am excited to hear what they have planned for members and our community,” said PTK Advisor Kaelani Demapan.
The PTK honor society also inducted its new officers: Bonnie Gio Sagana, President; Richard R. Baleares, Vice President; Jin Kai Chen, Treasurer; Christanelle Mercado, Recording Secretary; Kayla San Nicolas, Membership Secretary; and Maria Sablan, Public Relations Secretary. In addition, PTK recognized their lone golden opportunity scholar for this year, John Lawrence Apit.
“All the hard work and passion that my fellow PTK officers put into planning this induction for our 69 new Kappans is highly appreciated and we are so excited for them to be a part of our family and journey. It is because of the new and current Kappans that we are able to continue working hard as the new officers and we want to ensure that we provide a more active year for our society as a whole. In the coming months, we have a lot planned for our members to gain more knowledge, community service, and build up their resumes to further their horizons,” said PTK President Bonnie Gio Sagana.
"On behalf of the entire NMC Proa Tribe, I extend a heartfelt congratulations to our newest PTK inductees for their outstanding achievements. PTK is not just a recognition of academic excellence, but a call to leadership and service. I know our PTK members will continue to lead with purpose, both on campus and in our community," said NMC President Galvin Deleon Guerrero, EdD.
Established by Missouri two-year college presidents in 1918, the PTK Honor Society serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievements of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership, and service programming.
Currently, PTK is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 4.3 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters located in fifty United States and territories as well as Canada and Germany.