Beta Zeta Nu (BZN) is
Cañada College's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor
society for two-year colleges. BZN has been honored as one of the premier
chapters in the country. BZN was also recently recognized at the honor
society's international convention as one of the organization's most esteemed
chapters.
To gain membership in
BZN students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.45 or higher and complete a
minimum of 12 units at Cañada in courses that are degree applicable. BZN
advisor Autumn McMahon says, “The BZN meetings contribute to the Cañada
student experience because students are able to include their BZN
accomplishments on applications for transfer and scholarships, making them more
competitive. Having weekly chapter meetings amidst the pandemic provides
students a sense of normalcy and opportunity to connect with fellow classmates.
Officers and members alike are emboldened to pursue their academic passions
through research and project implementation. BZN prepares students not only to
transfer, but to have successful careers wherever they continue to question
‘how the world works?’”
Cañada’s BZN chapter of
the PTK society once again brought home awards from the 2021 PTK International
Catalyst event. The chapter’s engagement over the year earned them four-star
chapter status. The chapter’s status can be attributed to their participation
in a successful college project, numerous community service activities, and
individual hallmarks. While there are several awards for individual achievement,
the award that the chapter is most proud of receiving is the Distinguished
Officer Team Award. The Distinguished Officer Team Award is given to the
chapter officer teams who overcome great difficulties to guarantee
participation in the activities of the PTK Hallmarks: Scholarship, Leadership,
Service, and Fellowship.
The Cañada BZN Hallmark
Awards include the Distinguished
Chapter Officer Team PTK International, #3 in the NV/CA Region. This
award is presented in recognition of an exceptional atmosphere of teamwork,
leadership abilities, promotion of honors in action, engagement in the society,
and enthusiasm for the society’s hallmarks. A cause of their award was the
BZN’s officer team who facilitated various discussions about activities and
assisted with prioritization when necessary. The chapter’s weekly meetings also
provided useful time for check-ins on all activities. BZN President Katherine
Milla contributed her personal, individual, and group conversations as check-in
time to ensure her chapter was always on task and progressing toward future
potential projects. These continuous conversations created an atmosphere of
trust and collaboration that spread to all PTK officers and members. Milla
modeled leadership through her enthusiastic support of the officers and
members. Milla says, “I personally feel delighted and honored that our projects
and teamwork was recognized regionally and internationally. At BZN we
constantly promote fellowship, leadership, scholarship, and service. Thus, this
naturally builds a sense of community among us and gives us the opportunity to
work on activities that could benefit the students at Cañada College.”
The Cañada BZN Hallmark
Awards also include the Paragon Award
for New Advisors PTK International, #1 in the NV/CA Region. For this
award, advisors are recognized for significant contributions to the growth of
individual members, service as the chapter’s advocate on campus, and
encouragement of the chapter to be involved on the local, regional, and/or
international level of the organization. McMahon thrived in her role as only a
BZN alumna could do. In her position, McMahon led with insight, enthusiasm, and
insider knowledge. McMahon’s chapter leadership through the pandemic was
instrumental to the BZN’s overall success. McMahon shares, “Despite a global
pandemic and an entirely new officer team coming together, our students
remained enthusiastically dedicated to promoting the Phi Theta Kappa Hallmarks
of Service, Scholarship, Leadership, and Fellowship – I could not be prouder!”
The Cañada BZN Hallmark
Awards also include the Chapter Team
Honors Case Study Challenge – International Honorable Mention: Reopening
Schools During COVID-19. The Honors Case Study Challenge provides
chapters with the opportunity to supplement their honors in action research
based on the current Honors Study Topic (To the Seventh Generation: Inheritance
and Legacy) with the use of newspapers of varying viewpoints. The Honors Case
Study Challenge also provides members an enhanced learning experience through
the use of newspapers, print, online, and encourages them to stay informed on
current events. The BZN officer team based their research on one of the
prominent topics in the news during the Fall of 2020: The Debate About
Reopening Public Schools Across the U.S.
The Cañada BZN Hallmark
Awards also include Individual Research
Award #1 in the NV/CA Region: Going Off-Role. BZN Vice President
of Scholarship Alexander Lanza participated in the BZN chapter at the highest
level while doing work from his home city of Toledo, Spain. Lanza’s
distinguished research paper details the idea of gender norms in society. Lanza
writes, “In a world with defined male and female roles, Johannes is proof of
the in-between, notably because he rejects the manhood that has been
pre-decided by tribalism and apartheid. Gender theory ultimately allows for the
analysis of literary works in a less limiting way by revealing the nuances of
how gender influences people.”
The Cañada BZN Hallmark
Awards also include the Distinguished
College Project: Zoom Sessions on Transfer Success. The purpose of the
College Project is to establish a supportive relationship between the chapter
and the college administration. In collaboration with Cañada College President
Jamillah Moore, the chapter officers developed a series of Zoom workshops
designed to help students navigate the transfer process from the student’s
perspective. These workshops included: How to Apply for the Jack Kent Cooke
Scholarship, Transferring to Berkeley from the perspective of two recent Cañada
alumni, and Transfer Application Writing Workshops.
The Cañada BZN Hallmark
Awards also include the 2021 Reach
Award: Recognizing Excellence in Acceptance and Completion with Honors.
The REACH Rewards program encourages membership by rewarding chapters who
achieve or exceed 15% for their membership acceptance rate. A full 91% of Phi
Theta Kappa members will complete an associate degree or transfer to a
four-year college, compared to just 38% of students nationally. Members have access
to $48 million in scholarships — $1 million in competitive scholarships through
the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation and more than $46 million in transfer
scholarships to over 850 four-year colleges.
The BZN chapter’s
awarded achievements at the recent 2021 PTK International Catalyst event not
only recognized the immense work that is being accomplished but also showcased
the chapter’s selflessness, resilience, and dedication in providing a
stimulating environment for Cañada students. Despite such a difficult year, the
BZN team has managed to prosper and further develop the notability of the
Cañada chapter. Milla says, “Cañada College has always been very welcoming,
supportive, and open to our PTK ideas; therefore, this has given us the space
to develop our goals and future projects.” Remarkable BZN advisors include
Katherine Ramirez, Patty Hall, Paul Roscelli, and Autumn McMahon. Outstanding
BZN officers include President Katherine Milla, Vice President of Service Jirou
“Bella” Zhang, Vice President of Scholarship Alexander Lanza, Vice President of
Public Relations Katie Chen, and Vice President of Finance/Treasurer Sophia
Giorgi. For more information about Cañada College’s Beta Zeta Nu chapter go to https://canadacollege.edu/phithetakappa/index.php
