Phi Theta Kappa Charters Chapter in the British Virgin Islands
Phi Theta Kappa Executive Director Rod Risley presided over the May 28 chartering
of a chapter at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in the British Virgin
Islands, the Society's first chapter under the flag of the United Kingdom.
"The
chartering of the Beta Omicron Sigma chapter marks major milestones for
both H. Lavity Stoutt Community College and Phi Theta Kappa. For the college,
the chapter marks the first step in establishing a comprehensive honors
program and for Phi Theta Kappa it reflects the establishment of the very
first chapter in the Eastern Caribbean," Risley said. "The college administration
has demonstrated a strong commitment to the chapter by providing support
to engage members and advisors in Phi Theta Kappa programs. The chartering
of this chapter in the British Virgin Islands signals the global relevancy
of Phi Theta Kappa's mission, programs, and benefits."
H. Lavity
Stoutt Community College is located in Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin
Islands. The newly-chartered Beta Omicron Sigma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa
becomes the first in the Commonwealth. Sauda Smith and Craig Washington
will serve as advisors for the new chapter, which will be a part of the Florida
Region in Phi Theta Kappa's Division II.
More than 100 individuals
including legislators, board members, heads of government departments,
parents, faculty, and other students attended the May 28 ceremony.
Dr.
the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, Chief Minister (equivalent to the President)
gave remarks, stating that he was incredibly happy to be associated with
an organization such as Phi Theta Kappa and was even happier to see a chapter
established at the college.
Elihu Rhymer, Chairman of the Board
for H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, challenged the 31 new inductees
to be "torchbearers for excellence in intellectual pursuits for the territory."
College President Dr. Michael O'Neal said that as a new president
he saw the establishment of an honors program as a necessary step in the evolution
of the college and believes the Phi Theta Kappa chapter will serve as the
backbone of such a program.
While in the area, Risley also had
the opportunity to address members of the Rotary Club of Tortola about Phi
Theta Kappa on Thursday, May 25.
H. Lavity Stoutt Community
College was established in 1990 as the British Virgin Islands Community
College under the College Act of that year. The institution was subsequently
renamed in honor of the founding chairman of the College's Board of Governors,
the late Chief Minister, the Honourable H. Lavity Stoutt. With its dedication
on August 15, 1993, the College moved into a new facility at its Paraquita
Bay Campus.
Currently Phi Theta Kappa has more than 1,200 chapters
in all 50 United States and U.S. territories, Canada, Germany, the Republic
of Palau and Saipan. Additional chapters are expected to be chartered this
year in Belize, United Arab Emirates, Trinidad Tobago, Micronesia and
the Marshall Islands.
