Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
Who We Are
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society recognizes community college students who have achieved academic excellence. Our mission also calls for providing opportunities for students to develop as scholars, to engage in service and to grow as leaders and become effective advocates for excellence on their campuses and in their communities. Phi Theta Kappa was founded in 1918, and is the world's oldest and largest community college honors organization. Since our founding we have chartered chapters at more than 1,200 community colleges in the United States, and in seven additional sovereign nations. Chapters and members are encouraged to engage in Honors in Action activities, using scholarly research to identify problems and employing leadership skills to provide solutions through service.
Why College Completion Is Important To Us
Phi Theta Kappa was proud to be the only student organization invited to sign Democracy's Colleges: Call to Action. Credential completion will open doors for community college students and create opportunities to help them reach their full potential, which is ultimately Phi Theta Kappa's mission. Our experience, and numerous national surveys, have demonstrated the value of engagement as a transformational resource. College completion, whether by certificate or associate degree, can be part of this transformation. Our mission also promotes scholarly fellowship by creating a network of support and reinforcement for community college students. Our students will not only support their fellow members in encouraging completion, but will raise awareness of the necessity to complete among all community college students.
What Are We Doing To Promote College Completion
Phi Theta Kappa is doing what we have done so many times before: Mobilize our army of scholars to raise awareness of the importance of college completion and provide resources to help our chapters promote this important initiative and reach out to their fellow students. Phi Theta Kappa has led efforts to develop the Community College Completion Challenge website and the website serving the Community College Completion Corps, which provides a central location for the six Call to Action signing organizations to share their activities, plans, best practices and resources supporting college completion.
Phi Theta Kappa has developed a comprehensive toolkit for its chapters to use in planning a Signing Day for the Call to Action in Support of Students. This major public awareness campaign will be launched by our chapters in partnership with campus organizations, to involve student, faculty and administrative support for college completion. Toolkit resources include promotional posters, buttons and stickers, statistics on benefits of college completion and challenges to completion experienced by community college students.
Phi Theta Kappa has also developed a unique transfer tool, CollegeFish.org, available now to all members and in the early stage of being positioned as a resource for all community college students. CollegeFish.org matches students to the transfer institution that best meets their needs, keeps them informed about upcoming deadlines, monitors transfer credits and provides information about financial aid and scholarships. CollegeFish.org also allows community colleges to track their students' progress toward transfer.
Phi Theta Kappa currently administers more than $1 million in scholarships annually, more than any other community college honors organization. This includes scholarships for students pursuing associate degrees and baccalaureate degrees. Phi Theta Kappa also partners with more than 700 senior colleges that offer more than $37 million in designated scholarships to Phi Theta Kappa members.
