1982-1986

National Honor Society Commends East Central

Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor fraternity for two-year col– l~es, has sent a special commenda– tion !.<> East Central Junior College president, Dr. Eddie Smith con– gratulating the college on i~ long commitment to excellence. The commendation came in a let– ~r in which Phi Theta Kappa stated its enthusiastic endorsement of the proclamation by the American Ass~iation of Community and Juruor Colleges and the American Association of Community College Trustees declaring February to be "National Two-year College Month." The honor fraternity also applaud– ed Governor Bill Allain's official recognition of the significant a~~~ts of two-year colleges in Miss1SS1pp1. One of the most innovative leaders among two-year colleges in Mississippi, East Central Junior College has also been a leader in the growth and development of Phi ~eta Kappa in Mississippi. Accor– ding to executive director Rod Risley: "Since East Central Junior Col– lege received a Phi Theta Kappa charter in 1956, its administration has supported the national Phi Theta Kappa organization and its Theta Xi chapter through the for– ~ative years when the local and na– tional organizations were growing together. Now, thanks in great measure to the support of East Cen– tral College and many ·other two– year colleges committed to scholar– st;np, lea~ership, fellowship, and ser– vice, Phi Theta Kappa's national organization has more than 700 chapters across the nation and a support system for nationally reco~nized honors programs and service programs. And, again thanks to colleges like East Cent~al Junior College, which have consISte~tly participated, Phi ~beta Kappa is able to provide na– tional meetings with excellent s~kers and seminars, along with nationa~ awards and scholarships for ~ontmued study and even inter– national study."

Risley continued: "East Central Junior College and Kappa Alpha . have a rich Phi Theta Kappa tradi– tion. Chapter advisor Ann Burkes is a member of the chapter she now advises and East Central president Dr. Eddie Smith was president of this same Theta Xi -chapter at the time Mrs. Burkes was a member. "Dr. Smith currently serves as Phi Theta Kappa's Presidential Am– bassador to the Mississippi Two– year College President's Associatioh and chairs the two-year college com– mittee to recognize two-year col– leges in Mississippi. Another East Central president, Dr. Charles Wright, received the Michael M. Bennett President Award which honored him as the nation's most distinguished president in 1985. "East Central has certainly had its share of honors," said K1Sley, "but beyond that, we have been im– pressed with the efforts of the school and the chapter toward brotherhood. Together, they have hosted several regional meetings and have helped to develop both leadership and con– vention programs. They have given overnight lodging to members of chapters from other sta~ as they traveled through Decatur and serv– ed as an important "refreshment station" for the joggers who ran for Tennessee to the Gulf Coast to make money for the American Cancer Society. "One of their most effective re– cent brotherhood efforts was to co– host a meeting of four neighboring chapters so that they might share in an excellent program on "The American Dream:' the current Na– tional Honors Topic, and plan a pro– gram for "Outreach," the national service project." Risley waised the commitment of both M~ Burkes and Rudolph Mays, who recently retired from East Central after many years of service to the school and the frater– nity. Mrs. Burkes, certainly one of the most popular and widely respected advisors in the state, is delighted to now have the assistance of Dr. Shelby Harris. "With these two very capable people at the helm, the future for Theta Xi looks very bright," said Risley.

...

...