April 19, 2023 (Middletown, Conn.) — The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society chapter at Middlesex Community College inducted 66 new members during a campus ceremony on Friday, April 14.
By maintaining a 3.65 GPA with a minimum of 12 credits, the following students were inducted on April 14:
| Yzage Baigts Zepeda | Chantal Gauvin | Steven Montagna |
| Gina Battistini | David Gentile | Ephraim Mosher |
| Brenda Bent | Christina Giannelli | Penelope Murphy-Prue |
| Patrick Boots | Sofia Guarino | Marissa Newman |
| Nathan Botting | Aleia Hayes | Jack O’Connell |
| Katherine Burford | Tatum Holcombe | Rhiannon Overstreet |
| Aaliyah Burnley | Gracie Hopwood | Katelyn Parrott |
| Allison Canty | Elmira Jarzbek | Henry Peeler |
| Veronica Celmer | Taren Kentzler | Amy Proto |
| Alexis Clark | Rufaida Khan | Matthew Quijano |
| Bethany Crum | Mark Kulaga | Johnathan Rivera |
| Taylor Cunningham | Griffin Landry | Wesley Schleidt |
| Thomas Currier | Emmalee Lane | Meghan Serpis |
| Max Czellecz | Alani Lawson | Ryann Sweeney |
| Daniel Deberry | Javen Levesque | Mackenzie Toomey |
| Taylor Doyle | Brenna Maccallum | Wanda Torres |
| Michelle Eisenstat | Elisabeth Macdonald | Alysha Vandermaelen |
| Anthony Eldred | Nathan Mackinnon | Senia Vazquez |
| Julio Fernandez | Devon Madore | Raina Wesson |
| Grace Fontaine | Francesco Marotta | Devin Wilke |
| Alexander Fraenza | Sharlene Martel-Lucero | Kaylee Wilson |
| David Garbiel | Amari McDaniel | Ethan Zukowski |
During her remarks, Olivia Merlini, chapter president, described what PTK members learned while carrying out their community project over the past year. The chapter worked with senior citizens with dementia at a local assisted living center.
“As my fellow officers and I studied the Montessori method during the development of this project, we learned how it emphasizes that play can sometimes be hard work and hard work can sometimes feel like play. College does not always feel like play — it requires a significant amount of hard work and determination. It can even feel like a struggle at times and like it is filled with twists and obstacles,” said Merlini. “What the Montessori method also points out, however, is that setbacks and challenges are not to be looked down upon…. Setbacks and challenges often encourage the boldness that is needed to persevere and fuel an individual’s mission to conquer their goals.”
“Middlesex Community College is the perfect place to practice this perseverance,” she added.
Also during the induction ceremony, PTK co-advisers Lin Lin, program coordinator for engineering, computer science and technology; Landi Hou, computer support specialist, and Anton Pettiford, Guided Pathways adviser, each received the Stole of Gratitude Award for assisting the PTK chapter during the past year. In addition, stoles were presented to Director of Student Activities Ingrid Orellana Rivera and Associate Director of Financial Aid Ashley Labbadia.
Kimberly Hogan, interim CEO, Donna Bontatibus, interim dean of academic and student affairs, and Chris Dibble, chair of the Middlesex Community College Foundation, also gave remarks. Sara Hanson, associate dean of student affairs, announced the inductees.
Earlier this year, the Beta Gamma Xi was recognized as a national Five Star Level Chapter and REACH Rewards. The PTK New England Region also presented the chapter with several awards: Most Distinguished Chapter Advisor award; Most Distinguished Chapter Officer awards (first and second); Most Distinguished Chapter award; Second Place for college project; First Place for Honors in Action project within its theme, and First Place for Honors in Action project overall.
For more information about Phi Theta Kappa, please visit mxcc.edu/PTK. Photos from the induction.
Middlesex Community College is among 12 community colleges in Connecticut merging on July 1, 2023, to become CT State Community College, one of the largest community colleges in the country and largest in New England, dedicated to quality, access and affordability. CT State students will be able to apply once and take classes at any campus. In addition to Middlesex (Middletown & Meriden), locations include Asnuntuck (Enfield), Capital (Hartford), Gateway (New Haven & North Haven), Housatonic (Bridgeport), Manchester, Naugatuck Valley (Danbury & Waterbury), Northwestern Connecticut (Winsted), Norwalk, Quinebaug Valley (Danielson & Willimantic), Three Rivers (Norwich), and Tunxis (Farmington). Find out more at ctstate.edu/becoming.
