Press release:
Genesee Community College Associate Professor of Psychology Elise Banfield has earned the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society's Paragon Award. The award recognizes advisors for significant contributions, service and advocacy. Banfield was one of just 30 persons from across the nation to receive the award.
Banfield has been advisor to GCC's Phi Theta Kappa chapter, Alpha Iota Upsilon, since March 2011. GCC Chapter President Tom Wieszczyk accepted the award for Banfield at the Phi Theta Kappa Convention held in San Jose, Calif., in early April. Five of the six student officers from GCC's Phi Theta Kappa chapter attended the convention.
"It's exciting and humbling to receive this award," Banfield said. "Serving as advisor to GCC's Phi Theta Kappa chapter has been tremendously rewarding. It's an honor to celebrate our students' academic accomplishments and work with them to do positive things in our college community."
This academic year the chapter has been promoting Community College Completion Corps or C4, a program that encourages degree completion. The chapter also raised approximately $1,300 for breast cancer awareness/research through its "Walk for a Cure."
GCC's PTK officers nominated Banfield for the award without her knowledge. They submitted essays sharing her contributions to the chapter and the college. She received the award regionally and then was selected to be one of the 30 national winners.
Phi Theta Kappa was established in 1918 to recognize and encourage academic achievement of two year college students and to provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming. To be eligible for induction, GCC students must have earned12 hours of college credit with an overall minimum 3.6 GPA; thereafter students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.3.
GCC inducted its first members into Phi Theta Kappa in February 1985. The chapter held its 57th induction on April 18. The chapter welcomed 45 new members and continues to accept additional qualified students.
