FAQs

Phi Theta Kappa – often called PTK – is an International Honor Society that is committed to recognizing the academic achievements of 2-year or community college students and providing opportunities for them to improve their academic and leadership skills.

It provides excellent networking opportunities with like-minded students, alumni, and colleges from around the world. PTK also provides various resources for its members including; career training, transfer preparation, leadership training, professional development, research skills, and healthcare employment preparation.

Alpha Psi Tau is a chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at OTC. It is a student organization that provides social, educational, and developmental opportunities for its members. They are dedicated to providing students recognition for academic excellence and opportunities to grow as scholars and leaders. The Alpha Psi Tau chapter – part of the Phi Theta Kappa Heartland Region – operates out of the OTC Honors Office and works to host and participate in many events, including induction ceremonies, chapter meetings, conventions, conferences, film screenings, and more.

Thanks to Ozarks Technical Community College and Chancellor Dr. Hal Higdon, all OTC students are eligible to join PTK and the Alpha Psi Tau chapter of PTK for the first time at no cost to them. If a student meets the requirements for joining PTK, they will have their membership paid for by the college and will receive an invitation through their OTC email.

*Chapter membership is contingent on maintaining an acceptable GPA and following Alpha Psi Tau and OTC student conduct policies.

Scholarships

• Up to $2 million in scholarships to help you complete your associates degree.
• Access to $246 million in transfer scholarships offered by over 800 four-year colleges and universities across the country.
• Awards for career-bound students, including field-specific opportunities that cover the costs of certification exams.
• Leadership and service experiences that will boost your resume, making you more competitive for both PTK and non-PTK scholarships.

Career Training

• Professional skills employers seek through our exclusive online Competitive Edge program
• Navigate the job market with our one-of-a-kind Employment Edge training course
• Request personalized letters of recommendation for job applications.

Transfer Success

• Use PTK Connect to search for four-year colleges and universities that are transfer-friendly and see the scholarships they offer to community college students — including those exclusively for PTK members.
• Take the trickiness out of transferring and get advice from admissions pros through our exclusive Transfer EDGE online course.

Recognition

• Phi Theta Kappa Golden Key Membership Pin
• Phi Theta Kappa Membership Certificate
• Recognition during chapter induction ceremony
• Opportunity to wear Phi Theta Kappa graduation regalia
• Official Phi Theta Kappa seal placed on your college diploma
• Notation of membership on your college transcript
• Press release announcing your academic achievement*
• Request personalized letters of recommendation

*Contingent on college policy

Special Discounts and Offers

• Better Help Online Therapy
• StudyBuddy.Live Online Prep Courses
• Travel Discounts
• Enterprise and National Car Rental
• GlobalFit Fitness Club
• Hurst Review Services
• Lenovo
• Dell
• American Medical Student Association

To join Phi Theta Kappa, you must meet the following requirements;

• Have a minimum cumulative OTC Institutional GPA of 3.5.
• Completed at least 12 credit hours towards an Associate degree or 6 credit hours towards a certificate.

* Grades for courses completed at other post-secondary institutions will not be considered.

* To remain in good standing, a GPA of 3.0 or above must be maintained.

Phi Theta Kappa membership is by invitation only. An invitation is sent to a student’s email address once they meet the requirements to join.

Invitations are sent 2-4 weeks into each semester including summer. They will be sent to students who meet the requirements based on the previous semester. Instructions for activating your membership will be included with your invitation.

None! Being a member of Phi Theta Kappa is much like having a gym membership; you get as much or as little, out of it as you put into it. We encourage you to take part in some of the events, they are great places to meet some fellow PTK members and learn or try something new. Although there are no participation requirements it is important to note that some scholarships such as the MSU Phi Theta Kappa transfer scholarship do require you to be an active member (participate in at least one event).

All current PTK members at OTC should be a student in the OTC-PTK class on Canvas – the student portal used by OTC. This is where we will put important information about events, scholarships, and resources. These will be announced multiple times in the weeks before it occurs. When we post these announcements, you should also receive an email sent to your OTC email address.

If you are a new member of PTK, you should receive an invitation to join OTC-PTK to your OTC email address within 7-10 days of receiving a welcome email.

If you are a current member of PTK and do not have OTC-PTK on your canvas page, please contact us at ptk@otc.edu to be added.

Your PTK membership entitles you to recognition as part of the top 10% of scholars at the college and opens the door to scholarship benefits, leadership opportunities, community service, and fellowship with like-minded students.

The Induction ceremony is a formal event held at the Gillioz Theatre in Springfield, Missouri once during the Spring and Fall Semesters. This event provides an opportunity for your family and friends to see you being recognized for academic excellence. During the Induction, you will be recognized by Ozarks Technical Community College Chancellor, Dr. Hal Higdon for your achievements.

We will let all current and new PTK students know when the Induction ceremony is through Canvas OTC-PTK (the student portal used by OTC) and provide updates as we get closer to the event.

The Honors Lounge in ICE 354 on the OTC Campus in Springfield, Missouri is open to all PTK/Honors students and any students that have questions about PTK or the Honors program. It is a great place to hang out with friends, study, ask PTK/Honors questions, or just wait for your next class. Permission for non-honors/non-PTK students is granted on a case-by-case basis and can be revoked at any time.

While you are in the Lounge, we ask that you be aware of and follow the Honors Lounge Rules;

• No harmful or abusive remarks or comments about faculty, staff, or students will be permitted.
• No threats of physical violence or bullying will be tolerated.
• Be respectful of those who are trying to study.
• Don’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you unless you have permission from its owner.
• No vulgar or abusive language.
• Sexual harassment or sexual behavior of ANY kind by ANYONE will not be tolerated at any time.
• When discussing things that may result in a difference of opinion, if you are unable to respect the other person and their ideas, this conversation should not happen.
• OTC policies and standard rules for behavior are to be followed at all times.

There are many ways to become more involved with Phi Theta Kappa locally, regionally, and internationally. You can get involved in the events we promote through OTC-PTK on Canvas, become an officer, or help the officers with their projects. For more information on becoming an officer, please visit the Local Chapter – Alpha Psi Tau page. If you would like to help with the officer’s projects, please email us at ptk@otc.edu.

Before applying for scholarships it is important to know what kind of scholarships are available to you. With a PTK membership, you have access to two different types of scholarships and applications, PTK scholarships, and scholarships for PTK members or transfer scholarships. They may sound similar, but there are some key differences.

PTK Scholarships

These scholarships come directly from Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters. They create them, provide applications and assistance, judge applications, and select a winner to distribute the awards to.

It is also important to note that upon receiving the scholarship, the funds will be sent to the student, not to the school.

Scholarships for PTK Members (Transfer Scholarships)

The scholarships come from four-year colleges/universities, not from Phi Theta Kappa. The purpose of these scholarships is to invite PTK students to apply and transfer to the college/university offering the scholarship. Not every college/university offers scholarships for PTK members, but a lot of them do.

These scholarships are funded by the school and if awarded, the funds would appear in your student financial aid package.

More information about these scholarships can be found at ptk@otc.edu. For a list of colleges/universities in Missouri that provide PTK transfer scholarships, please visit the Scholarships page.

For OTC students, PTK membership is free and there are no participation requirements. However, often when applying for scholarships, such as the MSU transfer scholarship, students are asked to have an advisor sign off on their application stating that they’re an “active member” of their chapter. Being an active member means that you’ve participated in a Phi Theta Kappa event, much like the ones you see being announced regularly on the OTC-PTK Canvas site. Below is a list of options for in-person and online events, depending on your availability.

Online: Zoom in with us at Chapter Meetings, join hybrid events such as book club, HIA or College Project meetings, or do the self-paced PTK Edge and/or Leadership Development studies on the ptk.org website. Write an article for the Pinnacle. You can even be a Chapter Officer or Representative online if you enroll in the PTK Honors 199 class – email for more details.

In-Person: Induction (whether a volunteer or inductee), Chapter Meetings, Service or Fellowship events, Recruitment tables, College Project or HIA meetings, or any of the other various events we post on our announcements that are listed as a PTK hosted event. Just be sure to RSVP for these and/or sign in when you arrive to provide us with a record of your attendance. Want to do a little of everything? Consider becoming a Chapter Officer or Representative!

The best way to keep up to date with events/opportunities is to watch the Canvas site. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact ptk@otc.edu for more information.

*Please note that although we encourage many events on our Canvas page, only events hosted by PTK count towards being an active member of the chapter. Events hosted by other groups on campus, such as Politically Active, although very beneficial in your academic career and encouraged by our office, do not count as a Phi Theta Kappa event.

The OTC Honors Program offers PTK members the opportunity to earn OTC Honors credit without joining the Honors Program. PTK members can earn three (3) hours of Honors credit for completing 4 of 5 PTK Edge courses and the Leadership Development Studies training course.

For more information on how to take advantage of this opportunity or how to claim the Honors credits, please visit the Honors Program – Course Substitutes.

If you have any questions feel free to email us at ptk@otc.edu, call at 1(417)447-8905, or stop by the Honors Administrative office in ICE 352 or the Honors Lounge in ICE 354. Both are located on the Springfield OTC campus.

Current PTK Advisor:

Todd Yerby,

Director of Honors

Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa Advisor

Instructor, Department of Communication & World Languages

 

Cassidy Bright

Honors Coordinator

Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa Advisor

 

Contact Information:

Phone: 1(417)447-8905

Email: ptk@otc.edu

Or you can stop by the Honors Administrative Office in ICE 352, on the Springfield OTC campus.

If you would like to join Phi Theta Kappa and your PTK invitation has expired or you lost it, email us at ptk@otc.edu so we can check to see if you still meet the eligibility requirements. If you do, we can send you a new passcode that will allow you to join PTK.

All members who graduate with a GPA of 3.0 or above are allowed to wear the PTK honor stole, tassel, medallion, and/or cord at commencement.

All of these can be purchased through ptk.org or through the OTC Bookstore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A member from another PTK chapter may transfer membership to the Alpha Psi Tau chapter if they are currently enrolled at OTC and meet the membership eligibility and maintenance standards at the new chapter. Upon transfer to OTC, a PTK member may petition the chapter advisor for transfer of their membership to the Alpha Psi Tau chapter.

There will be a similar policy for other PTK chapters, so if you transfer from OTC to another college and they have their own chapter, you can transfer your membership to that chapter.

The Honors Office (ICE 352) and Honors Lounge (ICE 354) are both located on the third floor of the Information Commons East building on the Springfield Campus.