College's Phi Theta Kappa chapter earns high honors at annual regional ceremony
March 17, 2021
Members of the Community College of Rhode Island’s Phi Theta Kappa Pi Omicron chapter
brought home four awards at this year’s PTK New England Region Spring Convention,
held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PTK is the national honor society for two-year colleges with more than 250,000 members
nationwide, providing opportunities for students to grow as scholars and leaders.
Among this year’s noteworthy achievements, CCRI won the 2020 Most Distinguished Chapter
Award in addition to earning designation as a 5 Star Chapter by the regional committee,
honoring the college’s PTK members for their involvement during the pandemic, and
Chapter President Alicia Vallette of West Warwick was named New England Regional President
for 2021-22 after serving as Vice President of Leadership last year.
CCRI also won the Distinguished Honors in Action Project Award in addition to the
Distinguished Honors in Action Theme Award for PTK's "Perceptions of Progress" and
finished second in the Distinguished College Project Award.
The PTK New England Region serves 58 college-based chapters and all alumnae in Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Regional winners in
each category are automatically entered to compete at the PTK Catalyst 2021 international
convention, which will be held virtually from April 8–10.
“This is a great accomplish by our students,” said English Professor and PTK Faculty
Advisor Laurie Sherman. “Internationally, there are more than 1,000 chapters, so it’s
stiff competition, but we did pretty well in the regionals among the more than 50
chapters that participated. I’m extremely proud of their effort.”
CCRI’s PTK members typically begin preparing for the annual conference a year in advance,
said Sherman, but plans for the 2020 convention were temporarily derailed when the
pandemic forced the cancelation of all in-person events at the college and prompted
a switch to remote teaching and learning. The adversity, she said, brought the students
closer together. They worked more efficiently during the pandemic, meeting frequently
via Blackboard Collaborate, and submitted projects to the regionals for the first
time in two years, according to Sherman, earning top-three finishes in two categories.
CCRI’s chapter won the Honors in Action Project Award for its look at the history
and growth of the Knight Estate at the Warwick Knight Campus, following the PTK’s
“legacy” theme. The project detailed the origin of the estate in 1830 as a home built
for industrialist William Sprague II until it was purchased by the B. B. & R. Knight
form in 1875 and eventually donated to the state of Rhode Island in 1964, eight years
before CCRI officially opened its doors.
“We were always looking at the history of CCRI as our ‘legacy’ project,” Sherman said,
“but it was a matter of what to do with it and what we wanted to say about it. I think
the pandemic created a kinder, gentler topic in showing how CCRI truly has a legacy
in all the things we do, such as Rhode Island Promise and our multiple campuses, and
how it keeps changing and adapting, even during a pandemic.”
For the College Project Award, students worked to improve voter registration at CCRI
prior to the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election as part of the ALL IN to Vote program,
a subsidiary of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge and its efforts to change civic
culture and institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs on college
campuses. The students met virtually during the process with Rhode Island Secretary
of State Nellie Gorbea, the initial footprint in a long-term commitment to “increase
CCRI voter participation among our students,” Sherman said.
Winning the Most Distinguished Chapter Award for the first time, Sherman said, validated
the students’ effort to maintain a dominant presence on social media and within the
community and promote continuous inclusion and activity among its members despite
the cancelation of the chapter’s annual events.
The current members assisted their advisors in mailing tassels to last year’s graduated
and created a video montage of messages by incoming members for CCRI’s virtual commencement
in May. The Pi Omicron chapter also held its own virtual induction ceremony for new
members in November.
Vallette, a former PTK New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar, earned the highest honor
as the incoming Regional President. She has been the President of CCRI’s Pi Omicron
chapter since December of 2018, joining Vice Presidents Maggie Quillin, Ryk McIntyre,
and Julia Plante.
Share this story
Latest News
CCRI Student Athletes Honored at this Year's State Scholar-Athlete Awards
May 07, 2025
Ten student-athletes from the Community College of Rhode Island were honored last week for their athletic and academic achievements as part of the annual Scholar-Athlete Awards held in House Chamber of the Rhode Island State House. The Legislative Awards are designed to provide public recognition for student-athletes from CCRI, Rhode Island College, and the University of Rhode Island for significant achievements in their academic and athletic pursuits. The honorees have also demonstrated exemplary citizenship and community service.
Read More
CCRI and RIC Launch New Fully Online RN-to-BSN Program
May 06, 2025
The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) and Rhode Island College (RIC) are proud to announce the launch of a new, fully online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-to-BSN) program. This innovative partnership offers CCRI nursing graduates a seamless, affordable, and flexible pathway to earn their BSN while delivering the academic rigor and clinical relevance that Rhode Island’s healthcare system demands.
Read More
CCRI Partners with United Way to Open 211 Satellite Office
April 29, 2025
The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) has partnered with United Way of Rhode Island to establish a 211 satellite office on CCRI’s Warwick campus, expanding access to essential community resources for students. This collaboration underscores CCRI’s ongoing commitment to removing barriers to student success and ensuring students have the support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.
Read More
CCRI Launches Free Ophthalmic Technician Training Program
April 23, 2025
Warwick, R.I. – The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is proud to announce the launch of a new Ophthalmic Technician training program through its Division of Workforce Partnerships. This 120-hour program, beginning in May 2025, is free of charge and designed to prepare participants for immediate employment in a fast-growing healthcare field.
Read More
CCRI Foundation Elects Four New Members to its Board of Trustees
April 23, 2025
The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) Foundation has appointed four new members to its Board of Trustees. We are honored to welcome these four distinguished leaders to the CCRI Foundation,” said Rosemary Costigan, Ph.D, RN, Interim President of CCRI. “Their diverse backgrounds, deep ties to the community, and shared dedication will support us in advancing the college’s mission of access, equity and opportunity.
Read More
CCRI and Rhode Island Energy partner to launch free utilities career exploration program
April 17, 2025
The Community College of Rhode Island and Rhode Island Energy are teaming up to offer a free exploratory program designed to give participants a window into the growing utilities industry.
Introduction to Utilities – free to anyone who meets eligibility requirements through funding from Rhode Island Energy – is a seven-hour introductory course that provides participants with foundational skills and knowledge to explore career pathways within the utilities sector, specifically with Rhode Island Energy.
Read More
Four CCRI Faculty Honored with NISOD Awards of Excellence
April 10, 2025
Warwick, RI – The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) proudly announces that four distinguished faculty members have been recognized with the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Awards. The recipients, honored for their exceptional dedication to student success and academic excellence
Read More
CCRI Achieves Gold Status as Military Friendly® School
April 10, 2025
Warwick, RI – The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is proud to announce that it has been designated a Military Friendly® School for the fourth consecutive year, achieving Gold status for the first time during the 2025–2026 academic year. This prestigious recognition underscores CCRI's unwavering commitment to supporting military service members, veterans, and their families.
Read More
CCRI Celebrates First Cohort of MC3 Graduates, Expands Apprenticeship Readiness Program to Providence and Newport Campuses
April 08, 2025
WARWICK, RI – The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) proudly celebrates the graduation of its first cohort of the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) Apprenticeship Readiness Program, marking a significant milestone in the college’s commitment to expanding career pathways in the skilled trades. The graduation ceremony took place on Thursday, April 3, at 3:30 p.m. at CCRI’s Warwick Campus.
Read More
CCRI Dental Hygiene Clinic to Host Free Sealant and Fluoride Community Day for Children & Teens
March 31, 2025
The CCRI Dental Hygiene Clinic’s upcoming Sealant and Fluoride Community Day on Friday, April 25, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Lincoln Campus will provide free dental sealants and fluoride treatments for children and teens ages 6 to 17. The event will be led by CCRI’s dental hygiene students, who will provide preventative care under the supervision of licensed professionals.
Read More
Lucas Johnson Named Rhode Island's 2025 New Century Transfer Scholar
March 17, 2025
Warwick, RI- Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) student and Warwick resident, Lucas Johnson, has been named a 2025 New Century Transfer Scholar and will receive a $2,250 scholarship.
Read More
Governor McKee, CCRI Announces Launch of Associate Degree in Culinary Craftsmanship
March 07, 2025
NEWPORT, RI – Governor Dan McKee and the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) today announced the launch of an associate in arts degree in Culinary Craftsmanship on CCRI’s Newport Campus in fall 2025. To support this initiative, Governor McKee is proposing $850,000 to create a Culinary and Hospitality hub at CCRI’s Newport Campus. The hub will serve as a state-of-the-art learning environment designed to meet the growing demand for skilled culinary professionals in Rhode Island’s workforce.
Read More
CCRI Metallica Scholars: Forging Paths to Success in Healthcare
March 05, 2025
For students like Esther Duran, of Providence, Wanda Wrobleski, of Cumberland, and Richard Garcia, of Providence, the journey to a fulfilling career in healthcare has been transformed thanks to the Community College of Rhode Island and the Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI). Funded by a $75,000 grant from the legendary rock band’s foundation, All Within My Hands, this initiative provides financial support to students enrolled in CCRI’s Medical Assistant and Patient Support Specialist workforce training programs—helping to alleviate financial burdens and empower students to focus on their education and career goals.
Read More
CCRI Women's Basketball Team Punches Ticket to National Tournament
March 05, 2025
Warwick, RI- The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) Women’s Basketball teamshowcased their dominance once again in the NJCAA Region XXI Conference, securing the regional title for the fourth year in a row and, punching their ticket to the National Tournament.
Read More
CCRI Players Present Stephen Sondheim's Assassins
March 04, 2025
WARWICK, RI – The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) Players continue their 2024–25 season with a bold and thought-provoking production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins, running March 6–9 at the Bobby Hackett Theatre on CCRI's Knight Campus.
Read More
Jan.
1
January 1, 2025 All Day
Jan.
1
January 1, 2025 All Day
Liston Campus
Jan.
1
January 1, 2025 All Day
Westerly Education Center (WEC)
Jan.
1
January 1, 2025 All Day
Liston Campus
Jan.
1
January 1, 2025 All Day
Flanagan Campus
Jan.
1
January 1, 2025 All Day
Jan.
1
January 1, 2025 All Day
Jan.
1
January 1, 2025 All Day
Jan.
1
January 1, 2025 All Day
Jan.
1
January 1, 2025 All Day