Nine College Presidents Receive Bennett Lifetime Achievement Awards

April 18, 2024
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Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) recognized nine retiring college presidents and chancellors with the Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Award during PTK Catalyst 2024, the Society’s annual convention in Orlando, Florida, April 4-6, 2024.

These awards are given to retiring college presidents who have shown support of student success initiatives leading to stronger pathways to completion, transfer, and employment. They have taken an active interest in supporting high-achieving students and developing student leaders on campus. Recipients are nominated by the students on their campus.

“These college leaders have made student success a priority throughout their career,” says Phi Theta Kappa President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner. “This award is special because it comes directly from the students, and it is evidence of the gratitude they feel for the support for them and students like them, both inside and outside the classroom.”

The award is named in honor of the late Dr. Michael Bennett, longtime president of St. Petersburg College in Florida.

The 2024 recipients are:

Dr. Pamela Anglin
Paris Junior College
Texas
Dr. William “Bill” Coppola
Tarrant County College
Texas
Dr. David Devier
Glen Oaks Community College
Michigan
Dr. Celia Esposito-Noy
Solano Community College
California
Dr. Michele Haney
Red Rocks Community College
Colorado 
Dr. Ronald Rhames
Midlands Technical College
South Carolina
Dr. Richard Rhodes
Austin Community College
Texas
Dr. Steven Schulz
North Iowa Area Community College
Iowa
Dr. Kathrine Swanson
Metropolitan Community College
Missouri

About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the first honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 4.3 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.

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