Phi Theta Kappa Sigma Zeta Chapter February 2008 Newsletter Choose Leadership and Make a Difference! New 2008 Chapter Theme Throughout 2008, Sigma Zeta will be using our new chapter theme, Choose Leadership and Make a Difference to help our chapter focus on the new Honors Study Topic and the International Service Project. The 2008-10 Honors Study Topic is The Paradox of Affluence: Choices, Challenges, and Consequences, and the International Service Project will remain Operation Green: Improving Our Communities. Regional Awards Conference and Sigma Zeta’s 40th Anniversary Mark your calendars for our Chapter’s 40th Anniversary. Our celebration will be held in conjunction with the Rocky-Mountain/Cascade regional awards banquet. The event will start at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 9, 2008, and we will conclude about 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 11. We will be at Camp Harlow. Highlights will include: * Dr. Dale Parnell, Saturday Evening Keynote Speaker: Dr. Parnell helped found Lane Community College and was Lane’s first president. Before Lane, he was the principal of Springfield High School. Dr. Parnell was inducted as an honorary member at the Sigma Zeta’s first chapter meeting in May, 1968. In addition, Dr. Parnell is a former president of the American Association of Community Colleges and a former member of the Phi Theta Kappa Board of Directors. * Captain Jerry Smith, Saturday Evening Keynote Speaker: Before becoming a student at Lane, Mr. Smith served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Captain Smith is now a member of Springfield’s Police Department, and he teaches criminal justice courses at Lane. * Sue Smith, Saturday Afternoon Keynote Speaker: Ms. Smith is the National Director of Education for Keep America Beautiful. She will give her presentation after Saturday’s luncheon, and we also have invited community leaders. * Regional Officer Elections: Elections will be held Saturday afternoon. * Formal Banquet: The awards banquet will be Saturday evening followed by the district awards presentations. 30th Avenue Cleanup We will be cleaning up 30th Avenue on Sunday, March 2, starting at 9 a.m. Meet in the northeast parking lot. We will be cleaning 30th Avenue from I5 to Spring Blvd. Then we will have a potluck lunch. Please come help us rid 30th of trash. If you would like to join us for lunch, please bring something to share. Let us know if you will attend so we will have adequate supplies! International Convention The 90th International Convention will be held April 2-5, 2008 in Philadelphia, PA. Four chapter officers and the advisor will be attending. We do not know if our chapter will receive any international hallmark awards, but we already know: * Mary Spilde, Lane’s President, will receive the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction. This is a major award given for college presidents who promote the goals of Phi Theta Kappa and support their local chapter. Mary’s award presentation will be during a joint American Association of Community Colleges and Phi Theta Kappa Session where Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club, will be the keynote speaker. * Sonya Christian, Lane’s Vice President of Instruction, will receive the Distinguished Administrator Award which is given for administrators who provide a strong level of support for their chapter. Sonya’s award will be presented on Friday evening; guest speakers that evening will include Christiane Amanpour and James Rubin, a husband and wife team, who will discuss international political concerns. * Velda Arnaud, Chapter Advisor, and four chapter officers (Dee Lauzon, Jeff Farnsworth, Megan Worman, and Jeff Phillips) will present two Educational Forum sessions on Friday. The sessions will be back to back with the first one, Educational Forum – Round 4, Developing a Chapter Website--Basics, from 2:30-3:45 p.m. The second session is Educational Forum – Round 5, Developing a Chapter Website—Beyond Basics from 4:15-5:30 p.m. * Velda Arnaud, Chapter Advisor, has been nominated for the 2008-09 Secretary of the Association of Chapter Advisors position. Four advisors have been nominated (one from each division), and elections will be held on Saturday of the Convention. New Member Orientation This term’s new member orientation will be on Friday, March 7, at 3 p.m. This will be held in lieu of our normal chapter meeting in Building 2, Room 203. If you know students who have not yet joined Phi Theta Kappa and who may meet the eligibility requirements, please encourage them to attend. Winter Term Induction Our informal induction will be held on Friday, March 21, at 3 p.m. in Building 2, Room 203. All new members who have not already been inducted may attend. We will have snacks, and family and friends are welcome. Better World Books We are still collecting books for Better World Books. If you have any that you would like to donate, please contact us. Textbooks under five years old will go to Better World Books. Other books will be donated to charities in our community. The main thing is to keep this books out of our landfills. Check out the pictures on our Web Site!!!