Latest news with #PhiThetaKappa
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
East Texas mom of 8 pursues healthcare track at TJC after nurses help save her husband's life
TYLER, Texas (KETK)– An East Texas mom of eight and a beloved school bus driver will be earning her associate's degree at Tyler Junior College (TJC) on Friday after she watched nurses help save her husband, who experienced a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma for several weeks. According to TJC, Ronda Knight will graduate from TJC with an associate's degree in psychology and sociology and will begin TJC's 16-month associate degree nursing program the following week on April 12. Longview High School honors seniors at first-ever Lobo decision day The junior college said Knight works full time as a school bus driver at Lindale ISD, waking up at 3:30 a.m. each morning for 17 years, and is a mom of eight kids, ages 18 to 29, but still maintains a near-perfect GPA. Knight's TJC story started in 2022 when she decided to go back to school at 46-years-old and hasn't slowed down since. 'One of my co-workers at Lindale High School was about to graduate from TJC, and she convinced me to just go for it,' Knight said. 'I said, 'Okay, walk me through the process and help me apply,' and she did. That was it.' 'I originally chose TJC because it was close to home and offered the courses I needed but I stayed because I found a place where I was accepted and feel at home,' Knight said. College officials said that in addition to Knight's TJC degrees, she also has two credits from earning her Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences from UT Tyler and is applying to their Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Knight explained that she chose the healthcare track for personal reasons. 'In 2021, my husband was in an accident at work and had a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma for several weeks, plus my daughter was in a high-risk pregnancy at the same time,' she said. 'It was a lot, and there was this group of nurses who helped my husband and also helped me walk that path. That was what made me decide to go back to school.' Knight also credits a group of six TJC women who have been mentors and encouraged her through college: Biology Lab Specialist, Kim Chastain Professor and Phi Theta Kappa Sponsor, Gigi Delk Professor and Phi Theta Kappa Sponsor, Nancy Carter Processing Analyst, Kassie Garcia Office Coordinator and Phi Theta Kappa Sponsor, Marie Davis Psychology and Sociology Professor, Dr. Deb Kelley 'This group of ladies keeps me going,' she said. 'If it had not been for them, I would not still be here and thriving in the way that I am.' Tyler Junior College recognizes longtime supporters at board meeting Knight is also an active member of TJC's Alpha Omicron Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), serving as chapter president and is the incoming district vice president for the Texas region. The junior college said she has also been involved with numerous community service events and volunteers at the student resource center on campus. Knight explains that eventually she wants to earn a doctorate in psychology and nursing, maybe even become a professor at TJC. 'I've thought about coming back here to teach someday,' she said. 'To anyone thinking about going back to school, I would just say to do it. If you have questions, don't be afraid to reach out to your professors or advisors because they are here to help. Most of all, get involved on campus. This is a great place, and I've enjoyed every minute of it.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Overcoming adversity: How this CNM student became the schools graduation speaker
May 4—While family members and friends of Central New Mexico Community College graduates filed into Tingley Coliseum on Saturday, in a small building just west of the auditorium, Marijke Ypma nervously mulled over the pages of the speech she was set to deliver just an hour later. Ypma was a clear choice to be the student speaker at a graduation event that coincided with CNM's 60th anniversary. She holds a 3.93 GPA, is a member of the honorary society Phi Theta Kappa, has made the dean's list for two semesters, and has bold aspirations for the future. But the path to speak at the largest community college in the state's graduation was full of adversity: childhood trauma from her parent's distressing divorce, a speech impediment, an autism diagnosis at age 11 and both her mother and her grandmother being diagnosed with cancer in recent years. Despite being accepted to multiple four-year universities, including the two largest in New Mexico — the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University — Ypma elected to attend CNM and ease into the post-secondary experience. "I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle a change or maybe properly communicate with my peers and professors. I would doubt myself, and thoughts would cross my mind: 'What if I'm alone again,' she said, speaking to the over 900 graduates and the thousands of attendees. "However, even through all of these challenges, CNM opened its doors to me." She would later walk the stage and receive her graduation certificates in American Sign Language and Early Childhood Development and is on track to receive her associate's degree next May. During her speech, Ypma said her journey at CNM began when she was 4 years old, recalling laying in her mother's lap while she studied. "I totally started bawling there because it was so true," Francine Cala, Ypma's mother, told the Journal following the ceremony. While Cala did not want to discuss the divorce from Ypma's father, she acknowledged its impact on her daughter. She also suspected from an early age that Ypma might be on the autism spectrum, noting that she often played by herself and struggled to make friends. "It's just amazing how much she has progressed. I'm just amazed, and then to see her on the stage, oh my God, I'm even getting teary-eyed now because that wasn't her. She's just blossomed into this beautiful person," Francine Cala said. She credited her mother, Ypma's grandmother, Maureen Cala, with teaching her to become more independent and comfortable in social settings by taking her on trips to the grocery store and giving her lists of items to pick up. "She never could have done that without the help from my mom, (she) really provided a lot of help for her because I was in school, and then I was working," Francine Cala said. Francine Cala herself received two associate degrees from CNM, which propelled her to work in her current role as a medical assistant at the UNM Cancer Center. But during Ypma's sophomore year of high school, Francine Cala was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer that eventually progressed to stage four. "It was a constant battle of having a fear of waiting," Ypma told the Journal. "I remember having to shave her head as I was managing my high school classes and everything, and then having to deal with just that emotional weight of, 'Will I have a mother tomorrow?'" Her mother's battle with cancer lasted until Ypma was at CNM, when she eventually reached remission, but then Maureen Cala was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. The chemo treatment kept her from being able to attend CNM's graduation, though she did watch a livestream. When she returned home from the graduation ceremony, Francine Cala said Ypma's grandmother told her she was amazed at the speech and how her granddaughter presented herself. After she receives her associate's degree, Ypma plans to continue her studies over 700 miles away in College Station, Texas, at one of the largest public universities in the country: Texas A&M. She hopes to get her Ph.D. in urban education to improve the country's education so that "factors such as poverty, race and living situations do not prevent success and access to quality education." But she acknowledged it would be hard to leave behind her family and new-found friends. "I'm sad about it because I've had so many great teachers, especially in the education (department), and I made friends for the first time that are meaningful and long-lasting, and it hurts having to go," Ypma said. "But I know that if I'm successful in the Ph.D., I'm able to bring change to New Mexico that would benefit us for generations."
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Overcoming adversity: How this CNM student became the schools graduation speaker
May 4—While family members and friends of Central New Mexico Community College graduates filed into Tingley Coliseum on Saturday, in a small building just west of the auditorium, Marijke Ypma nervously mulled over the pages of the speech she was set to deliver just an hour later. Ypma was a clear choice to be the student speaker at a graduation event that coincided with CNM's 60th anniversary. She holds a 3.93 GPA, is a member of the honorary society Phi Theta Kappa, has made the dean's list for two semesters, and has bold aspirations for the future. But the path to speak at the largest community college in the state's graduation was full of adversity: childhood trauma from her parent's distressing divorce, a speech impediment, an autism diagnosis at age 11 and both her mother and her grandmother being diagnosed with cancer in recent years. Despite being accepted to multiple four-year universities, including the two largest in New Mexico — the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University — Ypma elected to attend CNM and ease into the post-secondary experience. "I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle a change or maybe properly communicate with my peers and professors. I would doubt myself, and thoughts would cross my mind: 'What if I'm alone again,' she said, speaking to the over 900 graduates and the thousands of attendees. "However, even through all of these challenges, CNM opened its doors to me." She would later walk the stage and receive her graduation certificates in American Sign Language and Early Childhood Development and is on track to receive her associate's degree next May. During her speech, Ypma said her journey at CNM began when she was 4 years old, recalling laying in her mother's lap while she studied. "I totally started bawling there because it was so true," Francine Cala, Ypma's mother, told the Journal following the ceremony. While Cala did not want to discuss the divorce from Ypma's father, she acknowledged its impact on her daughter. She also suspected from an early age that Ypma might be on the autism spectrum, noting that she often played by herself and struggled to make friends. "It's just amazing how much she has progressed. I'm just amazed, and then to see her on the stage, oh my God, I'm even getting teary-eyed now because that wasn't her. She's just blossomed into this beautiful person," Francine Cala said. She credited her mother, Ypma's grandmother, Maureen Cala, with teaching her to become more independent and comfortable in social settings by taking her on trips to the grocery store and giving her lists of items to pick up. "She never could have done that without the help from my mom, (she) really provided a lot of help for her because I was in school, and then I was working," Francine Cala said. Francine Cala herself received two associate degrees from CNM, which propelled her to work in her current role as a medical assistant at the UNM Cancer Center. But during Ypma's sophomore year of high school, Francine Cala was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer that eventually progressed to stage four. "It was a constant battle of having a fear of waiting," Ypma told the Journal. "I remember having to shave her head as I was managing my high school classes and everything, and then having to deal with just that emotional weight of, 'Will I have a mother tomorrow?'" Her mother's battle with cancer lasted until Ypma was at CNM, when she eventually reached remission, but then Maureen Cala was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. The chemo treatment kept her from being able to attend CNM's graduation, though she did watch a livestream. When she returned home from the graduation ceremony, Francine Cala said Ypma's grandmother told her she was amazed at the speech and how her granddaughter presented herself. After she receives her associate's degree, Ypma plans to continue her studies over 700 miles away in College Station, Texas, at one of the largest public universities in the country: Texas A&M. She hopes to get her Ph.D. in urban education to improve the country's education so that "factors such as poverty, race and living situations do not prevent success and access to quality education." But she acknowledged it would be hard to leave behind her family and new-found friends. "I'm sad about it because I've had so many great teachers, especially in the education (department), and I made friends for the first time that are meaningful and long-lasting, and it hurts having to go," Ypma said. "But I know that if I'm successful in the Ph.D., I'm able to bring change to New Mexico that would benefit us for generations."
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DFPS Helping Hands Volunteer Award presentation set
Apr. 29—Volunteers are vital to the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) in helping to achieve its mission. Each year thousands of volunteers give countless hours of service to help protect the most vulnerable Texans. At 4 p.m. on Thursday May 1, the 2025 "DFPS Helping Hands Volunteer Award" will be presented to the Phi Theta Kappa fraternity at Midland College in the Marie Hall Academic Building, Room 160. The award recognizes the outstanding Volunteer Impact of a community group who has helped DFPS accomplish their mission of assisting families and individuals struggling with abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Phi Theta Kappa students dedicated more than 100 volunteer hours to Adult Protective Services (APS) by: collecting basic needs items for the APS Silver Star Resource Room; working the "Senior Summer Celebration" event during June 2024's Elder Abuse Awareness Month; and donating/transporting custom Christmas trees for the Permian Basin APS Advisory Board "Festival of Trees" annual fundraiser. "This group has shown dedication with their time and talents to better the lives of others in our community," APS Faith-Based and Community Engagement Specialist Marci Leffler said in a news release. Facts and Figures: DFPS Volunteer Impact Our Statewide Team Our team includes 2,798 trained volunteers and interns working with DFPS to help families. Selfless Contribution Volunteers logged over 52,000 hours doing important work to help Texans who are least able to protect themselves. The Value of Your Time DFPS volunteers donated time worth $1,485,075 based on the hourly rate of volunteer time in Texas.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
RCC Phi Theta Kappa chapter, Linaker honored at Phi
Apr. 12—Riverland Community College has announced several prestigious honors earned during Phi Theta Kappa's 2025 Catalyst Convention, held April 3-5 in Kansas City, Missouri. Both students and college leadership were recognized for excellence at the international level, spotlighting Riverland's commitment to academic achievement, student leadership, and educational innovation. Members of Riverland's Phi Theta Kappa chapter, Zeta Eta, earned two distinguished awards: the Distinguished College Project award and the Beta Alpha Continued Excellence Award, which honors chapters that have maintained Distinguished Chapter status for three or more consecutive years. Only 15 chapters out of 1,244 internationally received this distinction. "This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, advisors, and the entire Riverland community," said Dr. Kathleen "Kat" Linaker, President of Riverland. "It's an honor to be part of a college where student leadership is valued and nurtured." Linaker herself was honored with the Phi Theta Kappa Paragon Award for New Presidents, which recognizes new college presidents who have demonstrated strong support for student success and academic excellence. In the words of PTK President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, "Your nomination was strong evidence that you are a student success champion for all students. They know you support their learning, and as a result, they have had a better college experience because of you." Riverland student Katherine Eliason, a Liberal Arts and Sciences major, also received international recognition at Catalyst 2025. Eliason was named Phi Theta Kappa's International Poet Laureate 2024 for her poem "A Chance to Breathe." It was selected from over 4,500 entries in Phi Theta Kappa's competition for the 30th edition of Nota Bene, the organization's renowned honors anthology. She presented the poem during Catalyst, further highlighting the talent and creativity found within the Riverland student body. See more about Eliason's award here. In attendance at Catalyst 2025 were Riverland PTK members Afi Adjowui, Katherine Eliason, Michael Grabrick, Rayna Krebsbach, advisors Sue Grove and Susan Hansen, and President Dr. Kat Linaker. Catalyst, PTK's annual convention, is a three-day event featuring internationally renowned speakers, educational forums, college and career fairs, and leadership development opportunities. It provides a platform for students to connect with peers, potential employers, and transfer institutions, while celebrating the achievements of PTK members and chapters worldwide.
