The Journey
        A newsletter for Phi Theta Kappa chapter advisors, chapter officers, and regional officers.  

Fast Forward:

Phi Theta Kappa chapters prepare to take on the "New Millennium"

At this time of year Phi Theta Kappa chapters are busy finding ways to implement the 1999-2000 Honors Study Topic, "The New Millennium: The Past As Prologue." Most chapters begin with a study of the Honors Study Topic Program Guide, which helps them discover the most important issues to explore and provides ideas for projects which are effective on campus or in the community.

This valuable Program Guide has been mailed to all advisors, who are encouraged to reproduce any part of the guide for the chapter or for college honors courses. Additional copies can be purchased through the Recognition Services Department at Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters.

The following ideas are a synthesis from the Program Guide, chapter members and advisors, and faculty who teach honors courses.

Begin with an Overview

Develop an understanding and appreciation of the Honors Study Topic before you begin any projects. Ask an officer, such as the scholarship chairman, and other members to present an overview of the Topic to the entire chapter. These presentations should help the chapter understand why the Topic is important today, why it has historical significance, what issues will be "in the news" throughout the year, and what issues could be developed for the broad academic fields represented within the college.

Brainstorm the Issues

Once your chapter overview reaches the last item - issues from various academic fields - you may want to open the floor for brainstorming. Be sure to consider faculty members who could address each issue.

Once you have the issues that the chapter wants to address throughout the year, arrange them in the order which seems most appropriate. Then plan your programs and projects for each separate issue. You will want very complete planning for the first few issues before you begin to implement your plans. You may not be able to plan issues you will address later quite as completely in the beginning, but be sure you are continually planning ahead throughout the year.

Consider Campus and Community Events

It is important that an individual or committee research the college and community events which your chapter could participate in. You don't want to reinvent the wheel or to schedule events which will conflict with community events.

Once you have done your homework and know what has already been planned in your area, plan your own comprehensive chapter scholarship program.

Suggested Projects and Programs

Now that you have planned to reach out and join the campus and community programs already planned, be sure that you now plan programs which allow the college and community to reach out and join you. Though there are dozens of projects which could be effective in learning about "The New Millennium," those which combine the college community and the local community are often the most rewarding.

The following suggestions might help you integrate college and community resources:

• Work with the college honors program to plan a lecture series. Each lecture could address an issue which is examined in the Honors Study Topic Program Guide. Lectures might be delivered by visiting scholars as well as college faculty and followed by a discussion session. If possible, the lectures should be free to the community.
  

• Ask a variety of local artists and faculty members or others in the community who are published authors to display their works on campus and participate in a round table on "The Role of the Arts in the New Millennium." You might also ask these authors to read passages from their works which reveal "the past as prologue" as we approach the new millennium.
  

• Research your town and describe how it has changed in the last 100 years. Publish your findings in a local newspaper.
  

• Develop a panel from the faculty and the community which includes a religion and ethics professor, a business leader, an authority on the law, a community college student leader and a high school leader. Ask the panel members to discuss among themselves this question: "What are our greatest opportunities in the new millennium?" A follow-up discussion might be this: "Will these vast opportunities lead to cooperation or destructive conflict within our community?"
  

• Ask a local news anchor to conduct an interactive "town meeting" with a diverse local audience on the topic, "Improving health care in the new millennium: fact or fiction?" Use the discussion as a springboard to a year-long educational promotion on community involvement in the improvement of health care.
  

• Have community film nights using the films recommended in the Honors Study Topic Program Guide. Review the annotations of these films and discuss whether you agree or disagree with the critics.
  

• Invite a knowledgeable speaker to discuss the information technology questions regarding the "Year 2000 Compliance." Have each member of the audience write a brief description of what his day will be like on January 1, 2000. Discuss the essays and compare the scenarios to those of literary prophets like Orwell or Huxley.
  

• Coordinate an Internet workshop for your chapter or school.

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society
Center for Excellence
1625 Eastover Drive
Jackson, MS  39211
800.946.9995