The four Phi Theta Kappa chapters at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College will be recognized for their efforts to bring the life-changing benefits and opportunities of PTK membership to even more students on their campuses. The REACH Rewards program recognizes and rewards Phi Theta Kappa chapters that excel in the area of membership development.

The Gamma Nu chapter at the Perkinston Campus, Omicron Alpha chapter at the Jefferson Davis Campus, Pi Epsilon chapter at the Jackson County Campus and Beta Tau Eta chapter at the George County Center have been named REACH Chapters for achieving or exceeding a 15 percent membership acceptance rate in 2018.  The Gamma Nu chapter was named to the top five chapters in the nation for highest membership acceptance rate in 2018.

Each chapter will receive special recognition with PTK stoles that can be distributed to chapter officers or members to be worn during graduation.  The special-edition Centennial stoles, which they may keep, will commemorate their chapter’s achievement in 2018, PTK’s 100^th anniversary year.

“We created this program because we believe strongly in the mission of Phi Theta Kappa and want as many students as possible to receive the benefits of membership,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, PTK president and CEO. “Increased opportunities to apply for scholarships and engage with their peers and key faculty members lead to higher completion rates, and students get those opportunities through PTK.”

More than 90 percent of Phi Theta Kappa members will complete an associate degree or transfer to a four-year college, compared to just 38 percent of students nationally. Members have access to nearly $90 million in scholarships, can gain leadership experience and can learn essential workplace skills employers seek.

In addition, more than 750 four-year colleges and universities have established more than $37 million in transfer scholarships exclusively for Phi Theta Kappa members. The average transfer scholarship a member could receive is $2,500 a year.