PTK Chapter Claims State, International Awards
May 20, 2025
Congratulations, PTK Students!
Eighty-eight Walters State Community College students were initiated into Phi
Theta Kappa, the international honor society for community college students.
The college’s chapter also received eight awards for its activities during the
past academic year. The chapter won the following: International Distinguished College
Project Award, International Five-Star Chapter, International REACH Award Chapter,
Tennessee Region Service Outreach Award; Tennessee Region Distinguished Honors in
Action Theme Award; Tennessee Region Chapter of Light, Tennessee Region Out of the
Box Creativity Award, and Tennessee Region Distinguished College Project.
The chapter was led by Jocelyn Betancourt, president; Gerardo Castillo-Ruiz,
vice president of service; Hailey Lawson, vice president of scholarship; Karina Laureano
Ruiz, vice president of fellowship; Madison Bosworth, vice president of public relations;
and Taylor Bird, Tennessee regional secretary. Dr. Lisa Eccles, professor of biology,
is the chapter advisor.
To be selected for membership, students are required to have completed at least
12 hours of college level credit with a 3.5 grade point average.
Students inducted into the chapter this semester are listed below.
BRADLEY COUNTY: from Cleveland, Ian Kinsey.
CLAIBORNE COUNTY: from Harrogate, Stephan Postol and Alyssa Smith; from New Tazewell,
Maggie Campbell, Janice Hall, Tayla McAnally, Tobias Simpson and Savannah Spurlock;
and from Speedwell, Jaelynn Jones.
COCKE COUNTY: from Hartford, Virginia Roberts; from Newport, Mia Kelly and Reese Smith;
from Parrottsville, Shannon Erickson, Jennifer Jones, and Johnathan Nash.
GRAINGER COUNTY: From Blaine, Destanee Davis and Abigail Petry; from Rutledge, Orlando
Bueno and Yadhira Cano.
GREENE COUNTY: From Afton, Samuel Ross; From Chuckey: Karaya Ortiz, Anna Seaton and
Gabriella Stakiel; from Greeneville: Erika Higgins, Savannah Kayser, Cara Lanclos,
Bronson Shelton and Emma Shelton.
HAMBLEN COUNTY: from Morristown, Emily Campbell, Kadence Coffman, Emma Cotter, Douglas
Davis, Todd Greene, Kelly Hornberger, Jaylene Mazariegos, Edgar Mendez Martinez, Samantha
Miles, Edward Rosales, Parker Spoone, Saraina Tellez-Sosa and Heather Turner; from
Russellville, Maria Olivos Rubio.
HAWKINS COUNTY: From Bulls Gap, Jake Elliott; from Rogersville: Aubrey Brewer; Ariel
Ferrell, Kodi Henson, Jerimia Kathalynas and Leah Lipe; from Surgoinsville, Kayla
Goodson.
JEFFERSON COUNTY: From Dandridge: Savannah Creech and Donald Spurgeon; from Jefferson
City, Sofia Di Dio and Linda Escobar Lucas; from New Market, Fallon Griffith; from
Talbott, Elijah Dunn, Zoe Dyke and Braden Melling.
KNOX COUNTY: from Heiskell, Katelyn Indelicato.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY: from Lascassas, Sarah Short.
SEVIER COUNTY: From Gatlinburg, Victoria Abrahams and Sarai Rivera; from Kodak, Kodi
Ogle; from Pigeon Forge, Mackenzie Bailey and Autumn Davis; from Sevierville, Joel
Acosta Padilla, Ashlynn Fuentes, Bethany Jackson, Keira Kirby, Anastasia Kvrgic,
Teagan Meredith, Karina Mesa Ramirez, Jalynn Pichardo, Faith Rawlinson, Gabriela Sanchez;
from Seymour, Jenna Geringer, Xavier Gregg, Elaina Hembree, Abbie McCoy and Christopher
Moriarty.
UNION COUNTY: from Maynardville, Valentina Moshe, Max Richardson and Addison Tolliver.
WASHINGTON COUNTY: from Jonesborough, Rachel Hatcher.