
Northland Pioneer College’s (NPC) Alpha Gamma Tau Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society for two-year college students, welcomed 75 new members during an induction ceremony, held Friday, February 16, at NPC’s Snowflake/Taylor – Silver Creek Campus Performing Arts Center.
The inductees included students who earned the distinction for academic years 2022, 2023, and spring 2024. NPC’s President Dr. Chato Hazelbaker addressed the new PTK scholars, along with their family and friends, applauding their academic achievements. “Phi Theta Kappa is a wonderful doorway to service, professional and leadership development, and scholarships. Congratulations on taking the next step as you walk through that doorway tonight.”
To be eligible for PTK membership, students must complete a minimum of 12 hours of associate degree coursework and earn a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. Students must also maintain a high academic standing throughout their enrollment in the two-year college, generally a 3.25 GPA. As members, students are eligible for a number of scholarship programs, and in some cases, distinguished placement at four-year colleges and universities.
The ceremony’s guest speaker, NPC Academic Advisor Donna Krieser, is also an NPC and PTK alumni. Krieser noted the significance of joining the PTK honor society. “When I started at NPC in 2001 it had been twenty years since I had last been to school. It was quite an adjustment juggling work, home, and school, and was an ongoing challenge. But life is not meant to be easy, no matter how much we wish it could be,” she said. Krieser stressed the importance of maintaining the outstanding academic record required for membership in PTK. She encouraged the new inductees to apply for scholarships like the All-AZ Academic Scholarship which covers tuition at any of the state’s three universities, and to continue to be involved in volunteerism and leadership opportunities. Krieser was inducted into PTK in 2002 and earned two associate’s degrees from NPC. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. “I would not have the education, at any level, or the academic advising position I have, if not for NPC,” she explained. “You have all excelled in your educational journey to receive this invite and honor. Now the goal is to maintain that excellence.”
During the ceremony, NPC’s 2024 PTK Alpha Gamma Tau Chapter President and NPC student Daelyn Nez gave charge to the inductees, swearing them in by oath. Assisting with the ceremony were NPC Mathematics Faculty and Chapter Advisor, James Gil, student inductee and PTK Vice President of Leadership, Natalie Behn, PTK Vice President of Public Relations and student inductee Kayla Mason, PTK Vice President of Fellowship and student inductee Daniel Reabe, and PTK Vice President of Records and student inductee Jillian Henry.
For membership information, contact NPC’s PTK Chapter Advisor James Gil at (928) 289-6563 or visit www.npc.edu/ptk.
Joining the NPC PTK chapter were:
- Adriana Benally - Kayenta AZ
- Aiden Hand - Vernon AZ
- Aldean Billy - Joseph City AZ
- Alysia Yosin - Show Low AZ
- Anabel Dickson - Winslow AZ
- Anastasia Ponwith - Show Low AZ
- Angelita Juan - Show Low AZ
- Anna Laszlo - Eagar AZ
- Arlene Curley - Kaibeto AZ
- Ashlyn Dighans - Holbrook AZ
- Auni Cottrell - Snowflake AZ
- Autumn Sprengeler - Fort Apache AZ
- Bernadine Kahn - McNary AZ
- Blake Johnson - Lakeside AZ
- Brynn Chlarson - Snowflake AZ
- Bryson Sheppard - Winslow AZ
- Cambria Miller - Joseph City AZ
- Camille Shumway - Taylor AZ
- Camry Begay - Fort Apache AZ
- Christian Meyers - Taylor AZ
- Clayton Lee - Lakeside AZ
- Daelyn Nez - Holbrook AZ
- Daniel Calvin - Pinetop AZ
- Daniel Reabe - Taylor AZ
- Daniella Raney - Show Low AZ
- Delta Declay - Fort Apache AZ
- Elizabelle Young - Show Low AZ
- Elizabeth Rodriguez - Show Low AZ
- Elliott Emerson - Concho AZ
- Emily Harris - Show Low AZ
- Faith Hill - Eagar AZ
- Felicia Bowler - Woodruff AZ
- Gideon Brimhall - Taylor AZ
- Hannah Ballesteros - Heber AZ
- Jeff Martinez - Winslow AZ
- Jillian Henry - Whiteriver AZ
- Jonjoe Cosen-Garcia - Fort Apache AZ
- Jose Torres - Springerville AZ
- Justine Whiting - Show Low AZ
- Karla Moreno Estrada - Snowflake AZ
- Kassidy Flake - Snowflake AZ
- Kayla Mason - Snowflake AZ
- Kayle James - Joseph City AZ
- Kaylea Gentry Meadows - Lakeside AZ
- Ke Ana Thompson - Whiteriver AZ
- Keira Sloan - Winslow AZ
- Kerralyn Sloan - Winslow AZ
- Keyi Lin - Snowflake AZ
- Kodi Castillo - Springerville AZ
- Kristen Cline - Show Low AZ
- Kristopher Herder - Winslow AZ
- Kylie Willis - Heber AZ
- Lalania Wheeler - Concho AZ
- Leslie Swart - Lakeside AZ
- Madalyn Kessay - Whiteriver AZ
- Maggie Shumway - Taylor AZ
- Makenzie Halama - Pinedale AZ
- Makia Wilson - Ganado AZ
- Marynda Caldwell - Snowflake AZ
- Michael Baldwin - Snowflake AZ
- Molly McGavock - Show Low AZ
- Natalie Behn - Pinetop AZ
- Raylee Sadler-Johnson - Springerville AZ
- Ryana Jackson - Winslow AZ
- Samuel Brown - Snowflake AZ
- Sara Chevalier - Show Low AZ
- Saydee Cluff - Taylor AZ
- Serena Resendez - Snowflake AZ
- Sierra Anderson - McNary AZ
- Simone Jean - Keams Canyon AZ
- Sydney Norris - Lakeside AZ
- Tara Greer - Pinetop AZ
- Teresa McKenna - Show Low AZ
- Tyler Wiley - Concho AZ
- Wendy Campbell - Snowflake AZ