The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Alpha Rho Sigma chapter at Ivy Tech Community College’s Bloomington campus was awarded a $1000 Honors in Action grant to research the stigma attached to community college. The project, Theme 6: Perceptions of Progress, aims to identify what stigmas exist, how they started, and ways to erase them.
“With this project, Ivy Tech Bloomington PTK Honors students will gain valuable research skills, strengthen their knowledge of APA format, learn to write grants, and ultimately take action toward change” said Dr. Samantha Levy-Arnold, Professor of English and Indiana Regional Phi Theta Kappa Coordinator. “We know the value of a community college education and are hopeful that the execution of this project will increase awareness of the benefits of becoming a community college graduate.”
Ivy Tech Bloomington PTK was awarded the grant by the national Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society based in Jackson, MS, supported by a $750,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to fund undergraduate research opportunities for community college honors students.
“The Alpha Rho Sigma chapter at Ivy Tech Bloomington was selected based on its strong application,” Susan Edwards, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Associate Vice President of Honors Programming and Undergraduate Research said in an email. “We are proud of the work you do at your college and in your community, and with your participation in a robust Honors in Action project.”
Ivy Tech accepts free applications year-round at ivytech.edu/apply. The college has multiple start dates throughout the year for faster completion of a certificate or associate degree. For more information, visit ivytech.edu/bloomington or call 812-330-6013.
About the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through its grants, the Foundation seeks to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.
About Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
Phi Theta Kappa (ptk.org/) is the premier 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 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 nations, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
