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The newest international president of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) hails from the Houston area.
Houston CW affiliate KIAH reported that Liam Blakeway, a student at Lone Star College (LSC)-CyFair was elected to the position for the 2023-2024 academic year at the two-year institution international honor society’s annual convention last month.
Blakeway told KIAH that attending PTK’s Catalyst Convention last year in Denver inspired him to run in this year’s event in Columbus, Ohio.
“I realized I could do the same,” he said in the report. “I intended to run for a regional office first, but my PTK advisor and the district advisor encouraged me to go for the presidency.”
Sure enough, listening to his mentors paid off.
Founded in 1918 and headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, PTK boasts a membership of more than 3.5 million, with about 1,300 chapters in 10 countries.
To join, students must have 12 hours of coursework as a part of an associate degree program, six hours toward a one-year certificate or a dozen toward a bachelor’s degree, as well as maintain at least a 3.7 grade point average (GPA).
KIAH reported that Blakeway, who immigrated to the U.S. from South Africa in late 2020 and enrolled at LSC-CyFair shortly afterward, graduated with his associate’s earlier this month and will continue his studies at the college.
According to the station, Blakeway, a member of LSC-CyFair’s Beta Lambda Mu chapter, will work closely with PTK President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner through next April in his new role.
The 2024 Catalyst Convention will take place at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
Blakeway is appreciative of all the opportunities LSC-CyFair has given him.
“Lone Star College offered me a secure place to discover myself and has become a home where I can engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures,” he told KIAH. “As an educator, I hope to shape and prepare the next future leaders of the world.”