I have often used this column to highlight Riverland’s commitment to excellence in teaching and learning. Recent awards to our local chapter of Phi Theta Kappa academic honor society are additional examples of that commitment.

PTK’s “mission is two-fold: 1. recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and 2. provide opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership, service and fellowship.”

Riverland’s chapter, Zeta Eta, is part of the Minn-Wi-Kota region that includes 63 chapters in the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Each year, Riverland inducts new members into PTK. In order to be eligible for membership, students must have completed at least 12 credits, have a grade-point average of 3.5 (B-plus) or higher and adhere to the moral standards of PTK. This year, Riverland inducted 71 new members from all three Riverland campuses. On March 26, a moving induction ceremony celebrated these new members at the Austin campus.

In early March, Riverland’s Zeta Eta faculty advisors, Sue Grove and Melissa Siebke, took members to the regional conference at Inver Hills Community College in Inver Grove Heights. During the annual banquet, Riverland received several impressive awards.

Zeta Eta won Most Distinguished Chapter of the Minn-Wi-Kota Region. This recognition includes a $900 scholarship for one chapter member to attend the International Honors Institute in Richmond, Va. Sue Grove will also receive a scholarship to attend the Honors Institute as winner of the regional Paragon Advisor Award.

Melissa Siebke received a scholarship for her and one of Zeta Eta’s officers to attend the April 16-18 PTK International Convention in Grapevine, Texas. Gary Schindler, dean of student affairs, received the Administrator Award of Distinction, an honor given to administrators nominated by individual chapters and based on outstanding support provided to PTK over the years.

I am humbled to receive the Shirley B. Gordon Award for my support of PTK. This award is named for Gordon’s years of a service as a PTK board chairwoman and founder and a longtime president of Highline Community College in Washington state. Chapters nominate college presidents or campus chief executive officers based on their outstanding support of PTK.

Finally, Zeta Eta received two chapter awards, a first-place Leadership Hallmark and an honorable mention Scholarship Hallmark.

On a related topic, three Riverland students were named to the All-Minnesota Academic Team. They include Machele Michels, a radiation therapy major from Staples; Mark Wachlin, a human services major from Austin; and Rustom Zufarov, an accounting major from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Introduced in 1994, state academic teams provided scholarships and scholastic recognition to PTK members while promoting excellence at two-year colleges. The All-Minnesota team is a division of the All-American Team, an international program sponsored annually by PTK, USA Today and the American Association of Community Colleges.

These are impressive awards for any regional chapter, and I congratulate Zeta Eta and the students on the All-Minnesota team for their impressive work and commitment to academic excellence.

Terrence Leas is president of Riverland Community College.