Yes Valentines Day is almost here! and so is the Iota Xi  The Valentines Day Bake Sale! Iota Xi needs your help in making this years bake sale a success. You will have the opportunity to meet other chapter members, help create awareness about the Iota Xi chapter on campus and have fun selling cakes, cookes, and donuts. So what are you waiting for? Sign up and volunteer, bake, and join in fellowhip with your fellow Phi Theta Kappans.

To Sign-up fill out the form below to contact  Denisa Dundova our Vice President of Fundraising at denisadee21@yahoo.com

The Spring 2010 Membership for the Iota Xi Chapter Begins

Established by Missouri two-year college presidents in 1918. Phi Theta Kappa serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through Honors, Leadership and Service programming. Today, Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 1.3million members; and 1,200 chapters located in 50 United States, U.S. territories, Canada and Germany. In 1929, the American Association of Community Colleges recognized Phi Theta Kappa as the official honor society for two year colleges. Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society which aims to promote scholarship, develop character, cultivate fellowship, and foster servant leadership development among students of two-year colleges. Iota Xi is the chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Union County College.

Requirements for Membership:

• Candidates for membership must have a 3.6 cumulative GPA or higher,
• must have earned 12 or more credits at Union County College,
• and classes marked as incomplete must be satisfied.
• must attend one of the orientation meetings, Wednesday February 11th, or Saturday February 20th,
• Complete the membership application,
• pay the $70 application fee,
• submit a signed copy of your transcripts,
• and meet with the chapter advisor before the March 5th Induction

Membership Benefits

• Transfer Scholarships – Members may apply for more than $37 million in transfer scholarships, provided exclusively to Society members by more than 700 senior institutions.
• Five Star Competitive Edge – Sharpen your competitive edge for transfer, scholarships and job interviews by participating in Five Star Competitive Edge. This professional development plan designed exclusively for Phi Theta Kappa members helps strengthen highly sought-after skills such as communication, critical thinking, teambuilding and goal setting through hands-on leadership activities and online video courseware. Members will build an online portfolio that will showcase their accomplishments in one convenient location that can be easily shared with scholarship providers, admissions officials and potential employers.
• CollegeFish.org free enrollment – Members have free access to Phi Theta Kappa’s online transfer tool. Research colleges, learn about transfer scholarships, manage important transfer dates and deadlines and communicate with four-year college representatives to ensure a smooth transfer to a four-year college.
• Membership Credentials – The Golden Key Membership Pin, Membership Certificate and Membership ID Card are mailed to the member’s home address.
• Press Release Announcing Membership – At the member’s request, a press release is sent electronically to a newspaper of the member’s choosing.
• Phi Theta Kappa Graduation Regalia – The Society’s Honors Stole, Tassel and additional graduation regalia may be purchased and worn at college commencement exercises, contingent on college policy.
• Gold Diploma Seal – The Diploma Seal may be affixed to the member’s community college diploma to denote Society membership.
• Transcript Notation – Society membership may be noted on the member’s community college transcripts, contingent on college policy.
• Letters of Recommendation – Request letters of recommendation from Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society to a college admissions counselor, scholarship official or potential employer.
• Career Resource Center – The Career Resource Center provides members with career trends, research, tips and tools for navigating the job market.
• Civil Service Jobs Benefit – Members applying for GS5 federal jobs and who completed a baccalaureate degree with superior academic achievement, as defined by the Federal Office of Personnel Management, would be upgraded to a GS7 classification, meaning an increase in starting salary over the GS5 grade. GS5 federal jobs are entry level jobs requiring completion of a baccalaureate degree or four years of study beyond high school.
• Special Offers – See the sidebar for details, or visit our Partners page for special offers from Phi Theta Kappa partners.

New Member Contact Form

Phi Theta Kappa Membership Application

The Iota X chapter of Phi Theta Kappa invite you, our members to put Honors into Action by exploring the 2010-2011 Honors Study Topic, The Democratization of Information:Power, Peril and Promise. This topic is controversial and consequential, and therefore worthy of our consideration. It provides the basis for Honors in Action projects for individuals, chapters and regions to learn, lead, serve and collaborate with others. In essence, all four Hallmarks of Phi Theta Kappa make up the critical elements of Honors in Action projects: Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Fellowship. Honors in Action project ideas are included in the guide to help get you started. You choose where to direct your focus and impact.

With 10 different issues to explore, there is something for everyone no matter your background, interests or field of study. This Honors Study Topic affects us all – how we study, shop, socialize, share our passions and develop ideas to address the world’s challenges. Imagine the incredible potential for impact when thousands of Phi Theta Kappa honor students focus their attention and efforts in the same area: The Democratization of Information: Power, Peril and Promise! How will it change you?

- http://www.PTK.org/Honors/Guide

2010-2011 Honors Program Guide

Alumni Transfer Scholarship

Several years ago the Middle States Alumni piloted a special scholarship program The program consisted of all alumni chapters and undergraduate chapters contributing to a scholarship fund that was awarded at our Regional Convention. Over the past years the scholarship has grown from $750 to $1,000. Since the chartering of the Middle States Region Alumni Association there has been a push for fund-raising on a grander scale. The hope is to begin a scholarship foundation as well as offer additional scholarships.

The 2010 Alumni Transfer Scholarship will be awarded at the 23rd Middle States Regional Convention. We will be presenting the award to an applicant who will meet the following criteria:

Full or part time students are eligible

Must be graduating in the Fall 2009 or Spring 2010

Must be transferring to a four year institution by Fall 2010

Your packet MUST include ALL of the following to be considered:

• Letter of recommendations from a Phi Theta Kappa Advisor
• Letter of recommendation from a faculty member
• List of cumulative GPA
• Program of Study (If applicable, please include any volunteer work and/or work experience relating to your field of study.
• 500-word essay discussing the influence Phi Theta Kappa has had in preparing you for your academic future and as a responsible citizen of your community. The following must appear at the top of the essay
• Middle States Region Alumni Transfer Scholarship
• Applicant’s name, college name and address and chapter name

Dr. Daniel A. Houghtaling Scholarship of Promise

Conditions of eligibility:

Student must be a Phi Theta Kappa member in good standing and currently enrolled in a community college at the time of application

Members must have a minimum of 3.5 cumulative GPA at time of application on all Associate Degree course work. Part-time and full-time students are eligible to apply.

Member must be enrolling at a community college for the following semester

Member must be willing to serve as a chapter officer for the upcoming academic year. Application requirements:

• Your name, chapter, college, and year inducted must be included as we as Dr. Daniel A. Houghtaling Scholarship of Promise at the top of your essay
• A 500-word essay (max) discussing how your involvement in Phi Theta Kappa has made you a better leader within your college and your community
• A letter of recommendation from a NON-Advisor faculty member or administrator at the community college where the student is enrolled attesting to the leadership potential of the student
• An official college transcript from the community college where student is enrolled

Send all scholarship applications by February 3, 2010 to:

MSR Scholarship Awards

c/o Mr. John Ortiz

Gloucester County College

1400 Tanyard Road

Sewell, NJ, 08080

We had a great time at the last Hallmark workshop hosted by Alpha Deltu Mu chapter of Atlantic Cape Community College in Mayslanding New Jersey. Diana Gonzalez, our esteemed Vice President of Scholarship, and safe driver led us (Jorge, Maria, Lina and Joe) to our hallmark writting destinies and a great time at the workshop. On the way back we stopped at Applebees for a light snack and spoke about the changes we can make to our hallmarks to secure our victory at Regional and International Convention later this year.

Hello I would like to cordially invited to the Iota Xi, Phi Theta Kappa New Jersey State President’s Masquerade Charity Ball Hosted by the Iota Xi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Union County College on Friday, January 29 at the Cranford campus. The Ball will begin at 6:PM and will last until 12:AM.

This is my last chapter event as New Jersey State President and I would like to take advantage of the opportunity to thank the college community and everyone who has supported me this year, and would be honored by your attendance!

Proceeds from the event will benefit Relay for Life, in honor of two professors who passed away last year. They are both very dear to me, my chapter, and my fellow students at Union County College. If you wish to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer and remember loved ones lost please bring a picture of them to the event and we will honor them together.

The Masquerade Ball has a Brazilian theme and your ticket price ($15 in advance, $20 at the door) includes your mask, hors d’oeuvres, mocktails, music, dancing, and memories that will surely last a lifetime. Music will be provided by UCC’s own DJ Gio and MC Xcite. The dress code is formal but dress comfortably, no denim or sneakers please.

In addition, event attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate in the creation of a new Phi Theta Kappa video that will have its debut at the International convention in April. Dr. Kenneth Kerr, our esteemed advisor from Frederick Community College, Alpha Delta Sigma Chapter has planned a practical demonstration on the new Honors Topic: The Democratization of Information. One of the fundamentals of this topic is that information can be shared like never before. Scholars, artists, musicians, researchers, and business associates can collaborate, outside of time and place, to achieve a goal. Dr. Kerr will be combine segments of video collected from around the society to celebrate our new honors study topic. Here is what we want to do:

Take a look at this video from the Playing for Change organization:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgWFxFg7-GU

Phi Theta Kappa is going to create a collaborative performance of the song “What a Wonderful World.” We are doing the Ramones version:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh1CI5sOh7A

Take a look at these versions of the song to see how you can be a part of this:

• Little Kindergarten kids: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKNOS4V5nxg
• In Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwTlUhEThf8

Phi Theta Kappa would like us to record good quality digital video and audio of us at the Masquerade ball singing/ performing the song. If you would like to be featured in the video playing an instrument you can download the arrangement here: http://home.comcast.net/~kpkerr/what%20a%20wonderful%20world.pdf

For more information or to reserve your seat at the 2010 Phi Theta Kappa, Masquerade Charity Ball or to make a donation please visit http://PTKiotaXi.org/RSVP . Thank You!

LOCATION and TIME To Be Annouced

Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society which aims to promote scholarship, develop character, cultivate fellowship, and foster servant leadership development among students of two-year colleges. Iota Xi is the chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Union County College. At the new member orientation meeting you will get to meet the chapter officers and committee leaders . They will answer your questions about membership, the benefits, and leadership development opportunities. You must attend one of the two meetings. At the end of the Orientation you will set a meeting time with the Chapter Advisor, YOU MUST MAKE keep your appointment, if you miss your meeting you will have to wait until the fall 2010 semester to become a member.

Requirements for Membership:

• Candidates for membership must have a 3.6 cumulative GPA or higher,
• must have earned 12 or more credits at Union County College,
• and classes marked as incomplete must be satisfied.
• must attend one of the orientation meetings, Wednesday February 11th, or Saturday February 20th,
• Complete the membership application,
• pay the $70 application fee,
• submit a signed copy of your transcripts,
• and meet with the chapter advisor before the March 5th Induction

Membership Benefits

• Transfer Scholarships – Members may apply for more than $37 million in transfer scholarships, provided exclusively to Society members by more than 700 senior institutions.
• Five Star Competitive Edge – Sharpen your competitive edge for transfer, scholarships and job interviews by participating in Five Star Competitive Edge. This professional development plan designed exclusively for Phi Theta Kappa members helps strengthen highly sought-after skills such as communication, critical thinking, teambuilding and goal setting through hands-on leadership activities and online video courseware. Members will build an online portfolio that will showcase their accomplishments in one convenient location that can be easily shared with scholarship providers, admissions officials and potential employers.
• CollegeFish.org free enrollment – Members have free access to Phi Theta Kappa’s online transfer tool. Research colleges, learn about transfer scholarships, manage important transfer dates and deadlines and communicate with four-year college representatives to ensure a smooth transfer to a four-year college.
• Membership Credentials – The Golden Key Membership Pin, Membership Certificate and Membership ID Card are mailed to the member’s home address.
• Press Release Announcing Membership – At the member’s request, a press release is sent electronically to a newspaper of the member’s choosing.
• Phi Theta Kappa Graduation Regalia – The Society’s Honors Stole, Tassel and additional graduation regalia may be purchased and worn at college commencement exercises, contingent on college policy.
• Gold Diploma Seal – The Diploma Seal may be affixed to the member’s community college diploma to denote Society membership.
• Transcript Notation – Society membership may be noted on the member’s community college transcripts, contingent on college policy.
• Letters of Recommendation – Request letters of recommendation from Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society to a college admissions counselor, scholarship official or potential employer.
• Career Resource Center – The Career Resource Center provides members with career trends, research, tips and tools for navigating the job market.
• Civil Service Jobs Benefit – Members applying for GS5 federal jobs and who completed a baccalaureate degree with superior academic achievement, as defined by the Federal Office of Personnel Management, would be upgraded to a GS7 classification, meaning an increase in starting salary over the GS5 grade. GS5 federal jobs are entry level jobs requiring completion of a baccalaureate degree or four years of study beyond high school.
• Special Offers – See the sidebar for details, or visit our Partners page for special offers from Phi Theta Kappa partners.

Orientation Sign Up Form:

Phi Theta Kappa Membership Application

Hosted by the Iota Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa of Union County College,

January 26, 2010, 6:PM to 12:PM
at Union County College, In The Commons, 1033 Springfiield Road, Cranford, NJ

Tickets are $15 per person with Advanced Purchase and $20 at the door.

For more information or call 908-437-8565 or email: charityball@ptkiotaxi.org

Sponsored by SGA, UCC’s Alumni Association, and the Muhlenberg Harold B. & Dorothy A. Snyder School of Nursing Student Government