The Texarkana College Board of Trustees recognized student members of the TC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.

The group took top honors at the Texas Regional Convention held in Corpus Christi earlier this month. The Zeta Sigma Chapter received the Award of Distinction for their Honors in Action project and the Award of Merit for their college project. In addition, the TC chapter was one of 20 chapters named as a Texas Top Chapter out of 91 throughout the state.

College officials said that success is due to great leadership provided by the chapter’s sponsor, Mary Ellen Young, support from the college’s Administration and Board of Trustees. "We are so proud of the caliber of students we have here at TC—they represent us so well throughout our community and state by their involvement in organizations like Phi Theta Kappa,” said Dr. Donna McDaniel, Vice President of Instruction.

“Additionally, we could not be more proud of the leadership and commitment to student success demonstrated by faculty and staff sponsors of student-led groups. Our Phi Theta Kappa sponsor, Mary Ellen Young, and President Russell were both recognized at the convention as standouts in their field and for their commitment to excellence.”

At the convention, Young received a Continued Excellence award for advisors. Russell received a Chief Executive Officer Hall of Honor award. In addition, TC students Sostenes Sanchez and Edlyn Leon were named to the District III Hall of Honor.

“We are grateful to have leaders like Mary Ellen, who leads students by example with her degree of involvement,” said McDaniel.

In other business, the Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic program received notice of accreditation for a new Associate of Applied Science program from the Commission of Accreditation for Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP). On March 17, 2017, the commission voted to award initial accreditation as a result of TC’s submission of a successful self-study and accreditation site visit conducted in September 2016.

“We have met and exceeded the expectation set forth by the State of Texas and are pleased to be recognized by the commission for our substantial compliance with nationally established accreditation standards,” said Courtney Shoalmire, TC Dean of Health Sciences. “The Emergency Medical Technology-Paramedic program at TC prepares students for certification in both Texas and Arkansas giving them an added advantage for greater employment opportunities.”

In the program, students have the option of working toward a one-year certificate with 37 semester credit hours (SCH) or an AAS degree by successfully completing 60 SCH. Students must first complete a 12-week non-credit EMT course offered several times per year before entering the new EMT-Paramedic program.

Trustees also approved recommendations for contract renewals of TC faculty and administrators, as well as rank advancements for six faculty members. Phyllis Deese, Executive Director of Human Resources, said rank advancement is determined each spring by division deans, the VP of Instruction, and the college president based on faculty credentials including years of experience, degrees earned, and overall teaching performance by eligible candidates.

“One hundred percent of our faculty meet stringent accreditation requirements, and seven are recommended for rank advancements,” said Deese. “TC has a high retention rate of qualified and veteran faculty members who are leaders in their fields of study. TC offers students a strong team of faculty members to prepare them for their futures.”

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