Mohawk Valley Community College’s Lambda Beta Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society, along with several advisors and chapter leaders, received multiple honors at the 2025 PTK International and Regional Conventions held this spring.
International honors
At PTK Catalyst, the international convention in April, MVCC’s Lambda Beta Chapter was named one of the Top 100 Distinguished Chapters worldwide. MVCC also received the Distinguished Advisor Team Award in recognition of the support and leadership provided by chapter advisors.
The chapter also was honored for its innovative Honors in Action Project, which explored this year’s theme, The Power of Stories. MVCC students researched the importance of connection in storytelling, culminating in a sensory-based narrative experience highlighting how individual memories of home contribute to a shared Mohawk Valley story. The project earned a Top 35 placement in the Honors in Action Project Overall category and was ranked in the Top 10 for Theme 1, Why We Tell Stories.
New York Regional honors
At the PTK New York Regional Convention in March, MVCC’s chapter leaders — Janell Smith of Utica, Haf (Win) Sar of Utica, Patrice Flowers of Utica, Yu Nadi Mon of Utica, Hay Marn Lwin of Utica, Ben Ruszala of Frankfort, and Shuya Nakamura of Utica — earned the Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team Award.
Janell Smith and Haf Sar also received the Jodi Oriel Leadership Scholarship, which recognizes outstanding leadership among officers and members of New York PTK chapters.
MVCC's Lambda Beta chapter also received the following regional awards:
- Five Star Chapter Award: For the 14th consecutive year, Lambda Beta achieved Five Star Chapter Status — the highest level of achievement a chapter can attain through participation in campus, local, regional, national, and international activities.
- Most Distinguished Chapter Award: Third Place.
- Regional Leadership Award: First Place.
- New York Region Community Service Award: First Place.
- New York Region Edgiest Chapter Award: First Place.
- Regional Fellowship Award: Third Place.
- Honors in Action Project: Top 3 in New York State for the theme, The Power of Stories.
- Honors in Action Project Award: First Place in Theme 1: Why We Tell Stories.
- REACH Chapter Award
Faculty/staff advisors to MVCC’s Lambda Beta Chapter also were recognized:
- Most Distinguished Advisor Team: Liz Doherty, Steve Frisbee, Sam McManus, Lorin Williams, Erin Severs, and Danielle Del Giudice
- Horizon Award for Advisor: Steve Frisbee
- Five-Star Advisor: Danielle Del Giudice
- 15-Year Advisor Recognition: Liz Doherty
- Five-Year Advisor Recognition: Sam McManus
About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.8 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at mvcc.edu/ptk.