Phi Theta Kappa is simply extraordinary.

Over a year ago, walking through the corridors and stairs on campus, I stumbled into Dr. Karlyn Koh. Dr. Koh who is one of the advisers of the Alpha Theta Phi chapter, and Director of the Honors program. While I was at her office, I told Dr. Koh about an event I was planning at LaGuardia Community College. The event was about bringing a speaker from the nonprofit organization Women for Afghan Women to speak about the evolving role of women in Afghanistan. The event was going to be held in the little theater, after the screening of the documentary Beyond Belief. When she heard all the details, her immediate response was: “Why don’t you do it with us?” I felt astonished. Before I responded, I was thinking about what a great opportunity it would be to collaborate with the members and advisers of the Honor Society.

Subsequently, I visited the Honors House. When I got there, I was met with warmth and charm. The chapter officers, who with dedication, work on projects to encourage scholarship, leadership, fellowship and service, introduced themselves and asked me about my interests.

After that, I started paying regular visits to the Honors House, bringing updates about the project I wanted to pursue while the officers and I got better acquainted. It was an interesting experience to collectively work on projects and discuss ideas. Through my involvement with the chapter, I started to understand the significance of the society, and the enormous responsibility the officers had to serve the college and the local community. As a result, I decided to get involved with the organization in order to grow and learn about ways in which I could have an impact in the world.

I was so enthusiastic about participating that I took part in all the Chapter activities I knew of.  As a result, a month after I met Dr. Koh, she asked me if I wanted to attend the Phi Theta Kappa International Conference in Philadelphia. I felt appreciated — my work was not overlooked, I thought. If this was the beginning, what could I expect to get at the end? Thus far, I have met so many people with great ideas, the type of people who have dreams bigger than clouds, and unimaginable goals and immense hopes of becoming global citizens in order to make the world a better place for all human kind.

Being an active member of Phi Theta Kappa has made me a better student and a better human being. For instance, I was elected to be the Chair of the Honors Study Topic Committee. The Honors Study Topic in our organization is a program intended to guide members in terms of enhanced, interdisciplinary, academic inquiry, and in developing community and college projects (putting “Honors in Action” that begins with scholarly research of the Honors Study Topic, and integrates the additional Phi Theta Kappa hallmarks of Leadership to take the lead and develop leaders, Service to address problems and challenges in meaningful, sustainable ways, and Fellowship to bring together ideas and ideals).  The Honors Studey Topic is the academic, thematic framing device for many of the projects we spearhead, and the theme changes every two years.  The 2008-2010 Honors Study Topic is, “The Paradox of Affluence: Choices, Challenges and Consequences.” As a member of  this committee, I learned so much that it is difficult to quantify it. Although I have made many sacrifices, in working with the officers and advisors, I have had to juggle multiple responsibilities while also working part-time and attending LaGuardia as a full-time student. But in the end, it has all been worth it. I became the most distinguished member of the New York Region, and I was encouraged by my advisor to run for International Office. Being an active member means belonging to something that’s more than just an organization; it is like taking an extra class or job.   I will continue to support our goals and initiatives, putting that extra effort to make our organization, and our world — a better place.   I’m looking forward to reading your comments and ideas, and how your chapter is putting “Honors in Action”!

Welcome to our blog!  We are very exciting to be serving all of you as the 2009-2010 International Officer Team!  This blog is a fun way for us to communicate many things to you and to hear back from you and we can’t wait to hear your feedback, ideas, and questions!  We will let you know what’s going on in the Divisions, where we are traveling, what goals we have for our terms in office and how things are going with the goals.  It’s a chance for us to let you know in a more personal way what goes on in the lives of Phi Theta Kappa’s International Officers.  If there’s something special you’d like us to write about, let us know with a comment to this blog post!   Hugs! - - Edgar, Nicky, Rebekah, Thomas, and Monika

I had the pleasure of attending the Iowa Regional Convention in February — what an energetic, fun group of people and what a fabulous 10-Year Anniversary Celebration!  Regional Vice-President Jake McLaughlin wrote the following e-mail to his Regional Coordinator, Nancy Woods, during finals last semester.  He read it to the convention attendees and it was a very interesting and effective way to introduce and explain the Honors Study Topic for new members attending the convention and I asked him if we could publish it in our blog for a much bigger audience to benefit from his thoughts too.   Thanks to Jake and to the entire Iowa Region — you are all terrific!

To: Nancy Woods

From:  Jake McLaughlin

Date: December 11, 2008, 2:23 am

Subject:  Hey. Here’s a Thought!

So, I was fumbling through my sociology book tonight taking a test, and I came across this term and definition:  environmental deficit-profound, long-term harm to the natural environment caused by humanity’s focus on short-term material affluence.

Now, this got me thinking along the lines of the international honors study topic:  The Paradox of Affluence-Choices, Challenges, Consequences.

So, is it just me or does this single term have a foundation in all of that?!  Our material affluence over the last years (choices) has created this climate/solid waste crisis (consequences), posing a problem of how do we “invent” our way out of this mess that we “invented” our way into (challenges).

Firstly, let me explain what I mean by “invent.”  Our society has been so focused on technology with the invention of the combustion engine, along with our hunger for more energy because of our thirstier toys and gadgets, that, in essence, our own affluence in becoming a dominating country in the global economy has created the single most challenging problem that the world as a whole has ever faced.  Today, scientists are not trying to discover the Internet or conjure up the central air conditioner; instead, they are trying to invent a machine that can reverse the effects that those previous inventions caused.  It is such a vicious cycle-the topic should be choices, challenges, consequences, REPEAT.  But, what is scarier is the fact that a handful of affluent nations who were able to make those material choices in the first place are now causing serious problems around the globe that is leaving many poor income nations just out of luck because they barely have the resources to stay afloat, let alone reverse the effects of a climate crisis so vast that it has spread across the globe like an itchy, pollution-brown blanket.

Gosh, this has got me all fired up.  Finally, I feel as though I have some sort of focus on how to grasp this study topic now.  How can I/we take this further as a chapter, district, region, international society?  Just thinking about that term and how well it seems to fit into all of this just makes me want to make a power point and talk to a group of people.  Yet, at the same time, it makes me sick to think that while we are living in a life full of technology, getting our hair dyed and styled weekly, cruising in lavishly equipped vehicles, people in western India are in the middle of a decade long drought and have to wait for hours and hours in the hat just to lower their bucket into a 100+ foot deep well, hoping that they can get even a dribble of water to drain into their pot, only to then be faced with a grueling journey back to their dirt-floor hut.  Or, that Mexico City is sinking at the rate of two inches per year because the water demand in the region is so great that they are pumping water out of the natural aquifer beneath the city faster than nature can replenish it.  (Both of these facts are from my sociology book, which, might I add, is amazing)… But seriously, just like this issue in Darfur, how can we-the most powerful, richest, affluent nation in the world-have gotten the entire planet into an issue as deep and vast as the global climate crisis.  And, furthermore, going along with the Darfur thing, how can any American sleep in their king size bed in their two story house on a cul de sac knowing that on the other side of the globe people are fighting for their lives, trying to earn enough money to maybe buy a chicken.

And, sorry to ramble, but one more thing while I’m thinking about it.  Suddenly, there is this outpouring of green, sustainable products, but these products (especially the building products) are so expensive that, honestly, people can’t afford them.  We are constantly being told to “Go Green, Go Green, Go Green,” but how can you or I go green when so much of what the experts tell us to do is financially unattainable!  So, once again, we find ourselves stuck in another hole because we are leaving the green revolution up to a small number of people who are A.) Rich enough to afford these sustainable building materials and B.) Motivated enough to use them.  Granted, prices are falling and there are many things that the average person can do to green their lives, but why can’t it all be affordable to everyone?!

Sigh when I come to power, I am making you my minister of all things green… after reading that last sentence a few minutes later, I now realize that we are going to have a legal system similar to the British with you being my “minister” of anything…

Okay, I’ll stop rambling for now, but I had to get some of this out there so that I wouldn’t forget to tell you all of this Friday.  I’m going to bring my sociology book with me in case we get really serious about all of this!  You might want to just clear Friday completely off, honey, I’m on a roll here!

Sorry if I’m not making any sense because it really is late, but seriously, do you see where all of this is going.  For so long I’ve been looking high and low for the answer to what this honors study topic is all about, when, all along, in my opinion, the answer has been sitting on page 469 of my sociology book.

Maybe it is stupid idea, but it makes sense to me.  Perhaps we can talk more about this on Friday. . .

Jake McLaughlin

NW District Vice President

Recently I was perusing my favorite crochet magazine when I came upon a new feature article called “Caring and Sharing.”  In a nutshell, this article focuses on a different worthy charity each month.  To celebrate the launch of this new monthly feature the magazine chose a charity called “Threads of Compassion.”  The Chicago based charity provides scarves for victims of sexual violence.  The scarves serve as a tangible reminder to the victim by letting them know that someone cares and understands.  As I read the article and contemplated the accompanying scarf pattern, it occurred to me that a project like this would be a wonderful way for chapters to demonstrate Honors In Action.  Many of you who knit or crochet know that a scarf like this can be worked up in an evening.  The cost of such a scarf is small when compared to the joy it could bring to a victim of sexual violence. The homeless would find such items just as useful.

But why stop there?  Think of all the clothing we discard every year that might be helpful to someone else.  How many of us have coats or sweaters that we no longer wear?  A sweater hanging unworn in a closet could just as easily be keeping a homeless individual warm. Rather than give used clothing to charity for resale in thrift stores, why not research a local halfway house that might be able to distribute the clothing to residents?  The ideas on what could be collected and redistributed are endless.  Collection techniques can be as easy as placing a box at key locations on campus or as elaborate as getting a church or other local group involved.  Regardless of how it is accomplished, everyone wins.  People in need get clothing, charities get the help they need and we get the satisfaction of demonstration our dedication to the Hallmarks!

The Honors Program Guide, particularly Issue 4:  Economic Policy and Issue 9: Individual, Family, and Community Life, can help you initiate discussions and research that can guide your chapter’s exploration of how these issues affect your community and then target the focus of your leadership and service to the community so that it is truly the most impactful Honors in Action project possible. I wholeheartedly encourage you to consider using a program like this as a chapter project during the coming year.  If you can knit or crochet and would like to make scarves for Threads of Compassion, you can go to their website (threadsofcompassion.bravehost.com) for more information or you can contact them directly at:  Threads of Compassion, 920 W. Wilson Avenue, Chicago, IL 60640.  It might be wiser though, to look first in your own communities for ways to make a distribute scarves or other clothing items.

We always enjoy hearing about all the creative ways that chapters choose to care and share. Feel free to share your caring and sharing experiences with us at http://www.ptk.org/chapters/success.htm and happy crafting!