April 23, 2026
The Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society (PTK) chapters at Pearl River Community College recently concluded their attendance at the annual Catalyst international conference, returning with numerous awards and distinctions. Representatives from both the Beta Tau Gamma Chapter (Forrest County Campus) and Iota Mu Chapter (Hancock County and Poplarville Campuses) traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, for the event.
Representatives from both chapters were excited to witness PRCC President Dr. Adam Breerwood being awarded the Shirley B. Gordon Presidential Award. His nomination was a joint effort of the two chapters. The highest honor that PTK can bestow on community college presidents, the award celebrates exceptional leadership that advances student success.
For Catalyst 2026, Beta Tau Gamma was recognized as a Distinguished Chapter (top 50 in the world), placed for College Project, and placed in the top 20 for Honors in Action Project. They were also given the Beta Alpha Continued Excellence Award for being a Distinguished Chapter for six consecutive years.
Iota Mu was recognized as a Distinguished Chapter (top 100 in the world), placed in the top 20 for the Distinguished Honors in Action Project and one of three given the Distinguished Honors in Action Theme Award for Theme 7: Information, Misinformation and Disinformation. Iota Mu was awarded the CCSmart Champion Award, one of three chapters recognized.
Individual advisors also received recognition at the event. Iota Mu advisor Kira Arthurs was one of 21 advisors to receive the Distinguished Advisor Award.
“I am honored to be named as a Distinguished Advisor and am so thankful to the students, my co-advisors, and administration for nominating me for this award,” said Arthurs. “As for Catalyst, it is so much fun to see students get to celebrate a year of hard work. Being named a champion for CCSmart fills us with excitement! Community college is an amazing opportunity for anyone wanting to further their education!”
Several students attended the conference and came back energized. Hope Wheat, Chapter President and Regional Officer for the Iota Mu chapter, enjoyed making connections and celebrating the hard work of chapter members.
“Catalyst 2026 was a wonderful experience, allowing me and many of our other chapter members to celebrate our hard work with people all around the world,” said Wheat. “I truly have never felt such a sense of community at a large event like Catalyst, but attending all of the events and sessions truly felt like being with my family. I can’t wait to attend an event in the future as an alumna!”
Beta Tau Gamma Vice President of Scholarship Alexis Brown of Petal served as chair of the chapter’s Honors in Action Project. Along with other attendees at Catalyst, she was eager to hear how their hard work might be recognized.
“In that arena filled with thousands of students who had all worked so hard, I didn’t know what to expect,” said Brown. “I tried to keep my expectations realistic, and then, they called our chapter name! We performed so well on the international level!
Mississippi/Louisiana Region Gala Awards
After an exceptionally impressive performance at the Mississippi/Louisiana Region Gala in March, students had eagerly anticipated their results at Catalyst. At the Gala, Beta Tau Gamma (Forrest County Campus) was designated as the second Most Distinguished Chapter in the region. Both chapters were given the Five-Star Chapter Award.
Beta Tau Gamma also placed first for Theme 5 Award, second for the College Service Project, and third for Honors in Action Project. The Golden Key Award was given to Madiha Karim of Purvis, and the Distinguished Chapter Officer Award was given to Alexis Brown. The chapter won the Regional Webmaster position.
Iota Mu ranked first for Honors in Action Theme 7 (Information, Misinformation, and Disinformation), second for Honors in Action, and seventh for Distinguished Chapter. Danielle Reid was an Order of the Golden Key recipient. The chapter won the Regional CTE Representative position.
Beta Tau Gamma Advisors (Dr. James Collum, Dr. Doug Donohue, Said Otwane, Dr. Ryan Ruckel, and Dr. Terri Ruckel) and Iota Mu Advisors (Kira Arthurs, Helene Goldstein, and Dr. Whitney Chambers) were recipients of the Horizon Advisor Award. The Beta Tau Gamma advisors also received Distinguished Advisor Team recognition.
“These award-winning students in the Beta Tau Gamma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa serve as evidence that excellence is not an accident—it is the result of passion, perseverance, and purpose,” said Dr. Terri Ruckel. “I could not be prouder. They represent Pearl River Community College and Mississippi with excellence.”
Members of both chapters had a wonderful experience and are setting goals for the coming school year.
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
The foremost honor society for two-year colleges, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), has over 1,200 chapters worldwide. Membership is reserved for students who have proven their dedication to academic achievement, requiring a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.4 and the completion of at least 12 credit hours of non-remedial coursework. Scholarship, leadership, service, and fellowship are the four hallmarks of the organization.
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Article by Laura O’Neill. Photography supplied by the chapters and Phi Theta Kappa (Breerwood presentation).
