Magazine Magazine Magazine
This publication is a contribution the students of Tarrant County College This publication is a contribution fromfrom the students of Tarrant County College and the Trinity River Campus Writing & Learning Center and the Trinity River Campus Writing & Learning Center “Service and Community “An Unshakeable Focus onEngagement” Student Learning”
SPRING
2014
The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa shall be to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students. To achieve this purpose, Phi Theta Kappa shall provide opportunity for the development of leadership and service, for an intellectual climate for exchange of ideas and ideals, for lively fellowship for scholars, and for stimulation of interest in continuing academic excellence.
2014
spring 8.
16. 20. 22. 24. 26.
On the Road to Success There Will be Obstacles Boxed In The Journey Keeping Your Head in the Game of Academics Wes Moore: Phi Theta Kappa Mission Personified This Beaten Path
Phi Theta Kappa Issue 28. 30. 32. 34. 36.
Painting With Words Movement My Golden Ticket Going Places A Word from Michael Garner... 37. What Draws You In 38. The Tides of Loss
BETA SIGMA MU
Promote The mission of the Writing & Learning Center is to create, promote, and foster the value, growth, and appreciation of writing.
The Writing & Learning Center
Phi Theta Kappa induction speech by Dr. Tyson McMillan
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ood evening Phi Theta Kappa Family, Beta Sigma Mu, Friends, and colleagues: Greetings McMillanites as well, ―Students who have taken a McMillan class.‖ Stand up if you please. Take a step to your left, now take a step to your right. You may now again be seated. When you head home tonight, you can tell your family and friends that ―on today, Dr. Tyson McMillan moved me,‖ and you will be telling them 100% the truth.
Tonight it is my privilege to speak with you on the topic: ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS THERE WILL BE OBSTACLES. If I may paraphrase Bishop T.D. Jakes: ―Success does not feel like you imagined.‖ Challenging yourself to reach beyond your perceived limitations is a key to success. My family finds it quite amazing that I have a Ph.D. and yet am like a kid in a candy store taking night classes at the beautiful Trinity River Campus. I am taking classes with students I taught, and it is wonderful! I have been in college for 13 years straight. Each degree required me to challenge myself beyond the limitations of the first-generation college student experience. Motivated by the giants in my life, I persisted on. Success is an internal battle that rages within between your conscience limitations, and your subconscious dreams of achievement. I submit to you that those who are successful are always striving for that next level of success. When one goal is achieved, they get after achieving the next ones. People are always more complex than the symbolism of the clothes they wear. On the path to success, we build up a storehouse of safety and comfort. It is this storehouse that we will need to reference when your success is challenged in ways that we could not have imagined. I knew that I had a passion and a calling for teaching. I did not know that teaching required several years of learning and is a continuous learning process. Teachers also learn. I never viewed college as the pursuit of a degree, but the pursuit of learning.
Get this: The degree is the by-product of the learning process. I get to learn all this cool stuff and they give a degree at the end of the process. I am relatively new to the college teaching game, but in my six years of doing so, I am reminded of a great classic book by the late, great Frank McCourt, Teacher Man. In the text, he shares, among other things, marvelous excuse notes from his students related to missed assignments. Mr. McCourt called these notes some of the best creative writing on earth. In that same spirit, I am reminded of the marvelous things that students have said to me within the scope of the classroom. Here are a few examples: Dr. T‘s list of funny quotes from students: Pound signs, we don't call them that today, we call them Hash tags... (thank you, I stand corrected). Hash tags...I thought they were talking about Hash Browns (said the mature wise student). Can I have Extra Credit for mentioning Green Tea today? (they know me so well). Why are you always so happy? It must be the green tea. But Dr. McMillan, that was 4 weeks ago. Surely you don‘t expect me to remember that. Whaaaat!? Mind = blown. When I asked the students why Justin Bieber has more likes on Facebook than me, this marvelous fact was revealed to me: ―Dr. T, because there are more teenage girls than McMillanites in the world.‖ (I seeee…..) I told my son, if you do that, it‘s going to be bad B-A-A-A-A-D. (Nooo…you don‘t quote me to your children do you?). One of my all-time favorites: My son told me, ―Mama, I want to be a McMillanite‖ My dad intelligently quipped that ―I began school, and I have not stopped yet.‖ How so true. I remember vividly my first day of school ever. At Wheatley Elementary, in Lubbock, Texas, down the road from Big Mama‘s house. My dad at the time in his 20s dropped me off in the cafeteria, and left me there with all those new folks. I cried, and wanted to go with him. I still see in my mind the silhouette of dad‘s shadow heading to the exit on the far end of a long hall. Presently, dad could not get me to leave school if he tried. I love this stuff! I love teaching and learning. Two present giants in my life: Dr. Tahita Fulkerson and Bryan Stewart hired me at 26 years of age to fulfill my best of dreams of teaching. I cannot help but see that dad‘s faithfulness in his 20s, in dropping me off to school, paved a path for me to be teaching school in my 20s. I have more degrees than a thermometer. This month, I will finally have a degree at every level of education when I obtain my Associate of Arts degree,
Associate of Science degree in Library Technology, and Certificate in Library technology from TCC-TR. After 13 years straight of college, I could not just stop cold turkey after the Ph.D. I needed a learning process to gradually slow down the degree-obtaining train. Even as a person with an earned Ph.D., I learn new and fascinating stuff in my community college classes each day. I take off the Dr. T. teacher hat and put on the Tyson student hat. Guess what Phi Theta Kappans… I know how hard it is to keep that GPA above 3.5. You see, teachers don‘t give grades, students earn grades. Therefore I earned a C in last semester in Psychology. My GPA at TCC now sits at a faithful 3.4. I did not overlook the irony that I was an advisor in Phi Theta Kappa, and yet my GPA did not meet that which is needed to join. This indeed made me evermore empathic to the cause of getting more folks to that level. Thank you for my surprise honorary membership two years ago. Give yourselves a round of applause for maintaining such high academic standards for yourself. My parents, Danny and Marcy McMillan, were high school sweethearts and had me at the humble age of 17 years. I am 31 years old and can barely keep up with my dog, Shadow McMillan. At my present age, I was a teenager in my parent‘s house. I vividly recall my parents at my present age. Neither parent has a college degree, but it is a testament to their hard work that all three of their children do. My parents, too, are giants in my life. Yes indeed, to dad‘s point, I am still in school, a path that 5-year-old me could not have ever imagined. There is a paradigm shift in my thinking over these 13 years of college success: now that I have experienced success, I now want to help other people experience the same. To the first generation college student who currently has no concept of what the educational journey holds before you, let us talk and sip a nice lovely cup of green tea while I share with you a path to make your journey go as smooth as it can. On the road to success there will be obstacles, but wisdom shared can help you navigate such obstacles. My Grandmother, Marcnellus Harris, was the most important and influential person in the history of my life. She is one of the many giants upon whose shoulders I stand. I was there at the moment when Big Mama had her last breath on Earth. In addition, her children there were so distraught to receive the word from the doctors, that they requested that I serve as their representative to receive the word. It then was my humble duty to communicate to the family that the matriarch who had life and was speaking to us only moments before, will speak to us in this world never again. That day was the most traumatic experience of my life. The experience cut deeply, but I made it through. That experience taught me that if I can make it through something such as this, then no other obstacles in life will have the privilege of my discouragement . At the time of her passing, I was months away from completing my dream to become the first person in the history of my family to obtain a Ph.D. It is on the wings of the memory of this great woman that I completed my doctoral journey in 2013. This took place at the pinnacle of what one would perceive to be my success in academia. Very few of my colleagues or students here at TR even knew of what I had gone through. Through this personal struggle, I had to find a way to continue to strive for success. That personal strength came through the wisdom that Big Mama taught me. I earned a Ph.D. after I had experienced the most traumatic experience of my life thus far. Her wisdom served as my light tower to maintain the strength to seize the day, carpe diem. Remember this: someone has a story of woe greater than your own. The key is to not let the story of woe be the end of the story. I went through some things, but I came out on the other side. Repeat that with me: I went through some things, but I came out on the other side. Say it again: I went through some things, but I came out on the other side. Beta Sigma Mu family, I am very proud of each of you. I know that the seeds planted from my heart were invested wisely. Thus, on this humble note, I conclude: persist in spite of obstacles while standing on the shoulders of giants.
Congratulations
class of
2014
Pursue your dreams.
Boxed In By Samuel Colunga
My college journey started out in 1999 when I graduated high school. Walking around outside the convention center that night, I was saddened because I knew that would probably be the last time I’d see any of my old classmates. One was going off to Florida A&M, another to Stanford, and several were going to attend the University of Texas. I, on the other hand, was going nowhere. While I made decent grades I was never pushed to strive for anything greater than a high school diploma. The counselors at my high school were taught that these students didn’t have the drive or the desire to go to college. Those counselors were just there to move us along.
In a school that once upon a time was infested with gangs, drug users, and general miscreants, getting a high school diploma was a huge achievement. This attitude still exists today in a lot of schools found in low income neighborhoods. Students who have tremendous aptitude, but no motivation, are too often ignored because no one wants to take the time to deal with them. During a time in my life when things were very confusing for me, and it was a mental challenge just to get out of bed every morning, I was considered one of these troubled teens. After high school, I immediately went to work in fast food establishments. Armed with only a high school diploma and no other skills, this was the only job I could get as a young 18-year old. The friends I did have that went to Tarrant County College asked me why I didn’t just go there. I repeated to them the same thing I had been hearing for years, college was expensive and there was no way I could pay for it. I then went to work at various warehouses and factories for the next few years.
fear was that I’d be the old guy in the classroom, but I noticed that was just not the case. According to statistics I heard, about 50% of the students at TCC Trinity River were not traditional aged students. There were older students, students my age, and some students in their early to mid 20s who just got a later start. I found that I fit in nicely in college. The level of work did not overwhelm me as I thought it would. In late 2011, my father passed away. He had always been a big proponent of my going back to school. That was when I made my decision to become a full time student, and become more involved in order to get the full college experience. I joined clubs, I attended events, and eventually I became an officer in student government, all things I would have never thought possible during my days of working in a factory.
I am now expected to graduate with my associate’s degree in 2015. The road to a degree has been a bumpy one, but it’s one I will complete soon. My one goal after college is to help mentor youths, to tell them that yes, you can go to college, and yes, you can get In 2007 I landed a job doing quality assurance for a that degree. My problem was that I let counselors and very popular cellular phone company. While there I society tell me I couldn’t. Well, here I am, proving met a lot of people who had become complacent with them and all the naysayers wrong. their jobs and didn’t try to go any higher. These people just accepted things as they were. I took a look at what I was doing with myself and I decided that I was not going to become one of those people. At that point I had been working there almost four years. The monotony of the job was beginning to get to me. Every day was the same, as was every lunch break and every trip through the metal detectors as I went in Samuel Colunga and out of the building. This can’t be all life has to offer. On the flip side of that coin I met several college students that both worked and went to school full time. Some were stuck on their papers and came to me to help them out. After offering my advice and looking over the course material I came to the realization that I could handle college work. I almost brought it all down by trying to convince myself that I couldn’t afford college, and that it isn’t for everyone. That’s what was seared into our brains back at my old high school. That’s when these students told me about financial aid, Pell grants, and all of these programs that were offered. I enrolled at Tarrant County College in the fall of 2010. At first, I took one or two classes, since I still had my full time job at the warehouse. My biggest
“I am from a family where no one had graduated from high school and being the first was a huge accomplishment, given I was told I would not accomplish this goal.” Well, upon graduating from high school, I tried to join the military and pay for my college education because my family couldn’t afford it, but my math scores were low, thus making it difficult for me to pass the entrance test. I decided that I would enroll in a business school so I could become a legal secretary and someday become a lawyer. As luck would have it, I found out that I would be a mother, and as happy as I was, this moment was bittersweet because I would have to say good bye to my career as a student. There were so many factors that played into my decision and I would regret it for a long time. There were endless dead end jobs, and raising two children alone on one income and being uneducated was difficult. Many nights I prayed for a stable home for my children because they were tired of moving due to loss of income. There are too many struggles to list, but one thing helped me keep pushing forward. My father once told me that I would fail at everything I did, and I almost believed it. I took it as his way of giving me support without showing how much he really cared. I have always tried to turn bad into good. My life isn’t dictated by other people’s words. In 2005, I would meet the one person who would believe in me. He didn’t see my struggles as obstacles; he saw them as character builders. Regardless of what our financial situation may be, he is going to see to it that my dream of being a college graduate comes true. After losing my job in 2009 due to the elimination of my position, my husband and I decided, enough of the dead end jobs. I have been taking prerequisite courses for an Associate’s in Nursing since then. Because my husband is paying for my classes and books out of pocket, I am only able to take a few courses at a time, and this has worked out for us because I have been able to focus on my grades, and this is why I am in Phi Theta Kappa.
Patricia Perez-Macias
I received an email inviting me to enroll but never thought this would be me. I asked a student named Andre who was in one of my classes and who belonged to Phi Theta Kappa. He told me about the scholarships, which would help my husband in paying for my education, so I decided to look into it. Since my enrollment into this club, my self-esteem has gone up and now I have something to show for all my hard work. Who would have thought that a Latina who once lived in the projects, struggled with dead end jobs, and attended college with kids younger than her own would be graduating with honors this May and then would receive an email stating she has been accepted into the TCC nursing program starting in August? Well certainly not me! Si, se puede.
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n many ways, being a college student is much like being a professional sports player, except the sport is academics. I‘m not saying that athletes are not smart, but I am suggesting that students are athletes of a different kind. Student scholars come to class every day striving to do their best and working their brains for slam-dunk grades. The classroom is much like a court or field; it encompasses all that the student needs to get better, namely technology, instructors, and materials. Just as athletes hit the gym every day, scholars train hard to utilize repetitious study habits to push themselves to the next level for exams. Exams for us are like competitions, and who says we don‘t sweat on our game days? Every sport in the world has a national association that supports and promotes the players and their respective teams. Phi Theta Kappa is that national association for academic student scholars of the nation, much like the NFL, NBA, and MLB. I guess you could call it the NAA (National Academic Association). How does Phi Theta Kappa drive Student Success? Welcome to the big leagues. Like sport players who want to play professionally for national leagues, students from around the globe want to be accepted into our society. However, similar to the NFL drafts, being a Phi Theta Kappa member has requirements that only the most capable students can achieve. A three-point-five or higher grade point average, a minimum amount of twelve credit hours (usually three classes) per semester, and a fee of sixty five dollars are required for acceptance. Students can think of the money as an investment because it comes back in the long run in the form of scholarship opportunities. In the competitive world of academics, hardworking students get paid for their expertise. Phi Theta Kappa offers diligent scholars an opportunity brimming in $37 million in scholarships, scholastic honor, and brotherhood through ritual initiation. Even though we have a Greek name, we are not a fraternity. We tell students during our scouting for recruitment, ―We speak geek not Greek.‖ We make that point because fraternities and sororities are generally more social than academic.
The honor of being in Phi Theta Kappa lies within its history and meaning. It‘s not every day a student is offered a chance to be a part of something that has the longevity of our society, which has been around since 1918. Furthermore, to be accepted into something because you are brainy is an honor within itself. In case the honor and the history are not enough, being a member also comes with perks. Every student knows when choosing schools that even the highest GPA‘s are sometimes not sufficient for admission, so students often apply to multiple schools, and this can become costly. Application fees can range from forty to one hundred dollars per application. Many schools, like Salisbury University and Texas Christian University, offer application fee waivers to Phi Theta Kappa members. Student scholars must look beyond the game of scoring big on exams and focus on the championship title of a four year university. Being a part of the Phi Theta Kappa team is crucial in the admission process the same as having on your jersey in the finals. A university that sees Phi Theta Kappa on an application will know who that student belongs to and the academic meaning they represent. The moment a student opens that envelope of acceptance is priceless. It is the buzzer at the end of a championship game, and that feeling of victory can never be replaced.
Billy Lyons III
Wes Moore:
Phi Theta Kappa Mission Personified By Sharon Maxwell As an older TCC graduate and Phi Theta Kappa alumnus, I love to read about the PTK superstars – students, administrators, faculty, staff, advisors, donors – individuals whose passion for student success and servant leadership is inherent. I was drawn into the magazine by the photo on the cover and immediately started reading. There was something about Wes Moore‘s eyes in his cover portrait that immediately caught my attention. No doubt, he had a story to tell. I found the two-page feature article entitled, ―Alumnus Climbs to Success and Strives to Set an Example for Others.‖ As I read about Wes, I just had that funny feeling that he was our keynote speaker.
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Planning for the October 23, 2009, official dedication of Trinity River Campus began in spring of 2009. Our small staff had been put on high alert by Dr. Tahita Fulkerson, campus president, to submit suggestions for the keynote speaker. Dr. Fulkerson‘s email in-box filled with names. She would not settle for just anyone; the keynote speaker had to be someone really special. This person needed to be able to touch the Trinity River Campus inner city and largely underserved populations of students. At home after a busy day at work, I fanned through the mail and came across the ―Phi Theta Kappa Visionary Annual Publication 2009.‖
The article about Westley ―Wes‖ Moore cited his academic and professional successes. These included being named a Rhodes Scholar, working as Special Assistant for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, becoming a successful investment banker, and writing a book. There were many more stellar credentials listed – but more important to our students was how he earned them. Wes Moore led a troubled childhood in Baltimore. After being named a Rhodes Scholar, an article about him was published in ―The Baltimore Sun.‖ That same issue also included an article about another Wes Moore, a man who had been on the wrong side of the law and was on his way to prison. Westley ―Wes‖ Moore was struck by the similarities and differences in their two lives, was inspired to connect with Mr. Moore in prison, and subsequently wrote a book entitled The Other Wes Moore.
I gave the ―Phi Theta Kappa Visionary‖ to Dr. Fulkerson the next day for consideration. She reviewed Wes‘s story and found that his was one that could inspire and motivate Trinity River Campus students, as well as faculty and staff. She shared the opportunity with the Chancellor, who happily approved. Dr. Fulkerson had a focused vision of what our inner city and underserved students needed to hear from Wes to make their community college experience the most meaningful to them. One connection with Wes would be in an informal setting where faculty would bring classes to hear the importance of his two-year college experience in preparing him for the successes he has had since leaving Valley Forge Military College. She wanted him to tell students to stay focused on school, to ask faculty for support as necessary, and to join clubs to make new friends. This would be followed by a question and answer session. Knowing the audience of the official dedication would include the majority of the student body, the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor‘s Executive Leadership Team, prominent members of the community, faculty and staff, Dr. Fulkerson wanted Wes to talk again about the importance of the two-year college. She wanted him to talk about the importance of having college personnel reach out to underserved populations, and then the necessity of helping those underserved, underprepared students to believe that they can accomplish in a two-year college, that the accomplishments in two-year colleges prepare them for other accomplishments.
Yes, Westley ―Wes‖ Moore‘s credentials ensured he was a contender for keynote speaker. At Valley Forge Military College, he took the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Development Studies Course, and was Phi Theta Kappa chapter president, Regimental Commander, and student body president. He was an outstanding athlete and campus leader at Johns Hopkins University and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Later, Wes was named to the Board of Trustees of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation. Since 2009, Wes Moore has embodied the Phi Theta Kappa code and become a national celebrity. The title of the article in ―Visionary‖ could not be more appropriate: ―Alumnus Climbs to Success and Strives to Set an Example for Others.‖ As Wes stated in ―Visionary,‖ ―It is really important for the alumni to support the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation financially, because the benefits we received – whether we realize it or not – were paid for by someone before us. It‘s up to us, the alumni, to ‗pay it forward.‘‖ Paying it forward is exactly what Wes Moore did for those privileged to hear his keynote speech on the momentous occasion of the Trinity River Campus Official Dedication on October 23, 2009.
Dr. Fulkerson recognized the enormous support Trinity River Campus had received from District leaders. She wanted Wes to applaud them for recognizing the educational needs the college can serve and urge District leadership and Board to continue their tradition of outstanding support for the students in the county. His speech would pack a powerful punch if he would charge Trinity River Campus administrators, faculty, and staff to maintain their commitment to service and to student learning. Most of all, Wes should challenge students to recognize that education is the way out of distress, into better jobs, and into a more fulfilled life.
Wes Moore speaking at Trinity River’s Energy Auditorium.
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love school. I mean, I really love school. I graduated high school in 1991 and then went to New Mexico State University. I simply could not afford to attend any more after just one semester, so I dropped out. Looking for some direction, I joined the Army National Guard and served for eight years. During that time I started a family and life went on. I always regretted not finishing college. The thought of not finishing plagued and tormented me on a regular basis. In 2009, I applied to UTA in hopes of going back to school. I excitedly ripped open the letter from them only to read that they did not want me. They thought I should start somewhere else. I was devastated. I threw all of my effort into raising my son to be a productive citizen of society. I watched, proudly, as he accomplished all of his goals and graduated from Trimble Tech in 2013. That summer, he said to me, “Mom, you should go back to school.” The thought planted itself in me and took root. With the encouragement of my husband and son, after a twenty-two year hiatus, I registered for my first semester at Trinity River. I took Texas Politics, College Algebra, General Psychology, and English 1301, ending the semester with a 3.75 grade point average. All of a sudden, I was on the Dean’s List. I got an offer to join Phi Theta Kappa and I began being actively recruited by colleges, including UTA. I wish I could say that I am exceptionally bright, but I can’t because I’m not. What I can say is that I am exceptionally driven. That drive brought me back to school after twenty-two years, keeps me at my dining room table studying for hours, in The Zone with my professor for study sessions, and missing the latest movie that has come out. That drive keeps me focused and on track to finish this semester with a 4.0 GPA. I will succeed because I am driven to succeed; driven to continue on this beaten path and finish what I Tarnishia Allen-Franklin started twenty-two years ago.
By Sarah Reckling
T
he paintbrush dragged across the stretched canvas in gentle circular motions. Shades of blue swirled into a beautiful backdrop for puffs of white to dance upon. Then, off to one corner, a vibrant sphere of deep oranges, vibrant yellows, and burning reds began to form.
It swirled and pulsed with heat as it came to life. One brushstroke at a time, my sister was molding something from her imagination and making it a visual reality. I continued to watch as she patiently painted a picture of a summer sky with a vibrant sun off to one side. I watched with a mixture of admiration, joy, and a twinge of jealousy. Why couldn’t I paint as nicely as she could? Why couldn’t I draw a picture of a breathtaking barn owl as she once did years ago? She gave its eyes a look that drew me in and made me believe it was a gentle creature. She created it for a school project and received vast admiration for her work. I remember how proud I was of her when I stood before her poster board at the academic fair. It was marvelous. Yet, every time I tried to make something beyond a simple doodle, it turned into an ugly mess. I wished I could paint the people, worlds, creatures, and dreams that danced within my mind. Then one day I realized I could paint the images within my mind. It would just take a different kind of creativity. Today I am a painter. Dreams and concepts swirl within my mind throughout the day, and when I have moments to myself, I bring them to life on blank space. I have the ability to create a world which only I have imagined or even bring a smile to a stranger’s face with something as simple as a portrait of a little robot with a flower bouquet growing out of the top of its head. I can even make a beautiful landscape of a sky or a vivid image of a barn owl in flight. I have become a painter! However, my tools are very different than my sister’s tools. When she sits down to paint she has brushes, acrylics, and canvases. I have none of those. During her artistic times, apron strings are tied around her waist to capture renegade drips of paint, but I have no such strings about my waist. Nor do I have to scrub my hands to wash away splashes of color that have absorbed into skin the way she does. No, my tools are pens of smooth flowing ink that fill lines upon lines of journal pages to the brim. I wear no apron strings, but I do wear frames around my eyes to help my pupils focus on all that spills upon the page. My hands never look like an abstract painting, but the knuckle on my right fifth-finger often looks bruised from ink smudges. I do not paint like my sister. I paint with words. You see, writers have the potential to also be painters. Some writers have the ability to paint a vivid picture within the mind of the reader with nothing more than their words. These writers do not simply state things; they create vivid
and imaginative images. I strive every day to be a writer who is a painter and to create truly vivid works that take the readers on a journey within their minds. Inside the lines of this very piece there is a prime example of this. When I began the first paragraph, I could have begun by simply stating that my sister was painting a picture of the sky, but instead I imagined how I could paint a vivid picture of what she was doing with my words. My hope is that as you read it you visualized the scene. I hope that the colors were rich, the textures true, and that the moment felt genuine. I hope that you could see it. Though I do not paint the way my sister paints, I have found a way to bring my thoughts and dreams to life with words. I never thought I would call myself a painter, yet just yesterday when a student came to me and asked for advice on a creative nonfiction piece she was writing, I encouraged her to add more details to what she wrote. I explained that she should do more than just tell the facts of her life or simply write a single sentence about the location she once lived. She did not seem inspired, so I began to think about how I could explain it in a way that would be more interesting. To my surprise, the idea I had was to encourage her to think about her writing as painting. I told her that she should think about what her home looked like, the details, the feelings surrounding it, and paint with her words to take the readers to her old home. I encouraged her to show her story. I encouraged her to paint with words. It was in that very moment that I realized on a new level that I am a painter and words are my brushstrokes. I hope that I may continue to create and encourage others to paint with words for many more years to come.
Sarah Reckling
There’s never a place to hide. And she moves out, into the light flowing, her shape glides upon the lawn, like water flowing over rock in the creek we all have in our mind’s eye. Oh, if only passion could move like that instead of flaming and flaring, and fizzling and dying, like the flares of west Texas, burning off gas in the night. As though the stars themselves want competition, flickering and shimmering lost in dawn’s light. And still she moves, never stopping, never resting, held like a doll, a non- living life, that is not hers, and not mine, and not ours, but belongs to her passion not reason, not knowing or caring a construct of chemical, artificial and cold, like the cold of a new moon. And just as fearful.
Movement By Todd Fratt
By Everett J. Davis
“I never thought my life could be anything but catastrophe...but suddenly I [began] to see a bit of good luck for me...'cause I've got a golden ticket,” sings Grandpa Joe in the movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Like Charlie and Grandpa Joe, I received my ―golden ticket,‖ an invitation to join the Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society. But when I accepted the invitation, I had no idea what I was getting into: fundraising, inductions, recruiting, conferences and more. Now, don‘t get me wrong. When I first received the invitation, I thought it cost too much ($85 membership fee), and I didn‘t have the time. Then, an active member sat down with me and showed me the rewards from the ―golden ticket.‖ First, the $85 membership fee was a one-time only payment with no expiration date. In return, a college or university of my choice would give me at least $1,000 per year to transfer and complete a Bachelor‘s Degree. But the money did not stop; through Phi Theta Kappa, I now had access to $37 million in scholarships. At my fingertips, I had the scholarship search program called CollegeFish. With this computer program, I had every college and scholarship available to me. And I participated only when I could. Completing my degree was always my top priority. Also, I was offered an opportunity to study abroad. China, Australia, and the Czech Republic were some of the places offering study abroad programs. This ―golden ticket‖ could make my goals and dreams come true. Phi Theta Kappa is guided by four hallmarks: Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Fellowship. Fellowship Fellowship: friendly association with people who share a common interest. So many opportunities opened up for me as a member of Phi Theta Kappa. I have made new friends, and together we have made time to hang out. An added bonus is that my family could participate with us during chapter and district outings. During the summer, we took in Spring Fling with its games, food, and contests; it was one fun day for all the chapter members in the district. We also ventured out to the Renaissance Festival at Scarborough Faire: jousting, turtle races, and human chess. Oh my! There is so much to see and do. The chapter president, Clinton Smith, even took ―leadership lessons‖ from the local juggler. Some of the members also went to Six Flags and the State Fair of Texas. Next time, we should try some fried ice cream. Also, every Thursday evening, we would jump in the Trinity River, float on inner tubes and listen to a band at ―Rock the River.‖ This semester Game Night in the Idea Store was created. Once a month, Beta Sigma Mu members got their game on for a night of fun. Together we became a team.
Leadership Leadership: the action of leading a group of people in a given task, project, or organization. I have had the opportunity to serve as the Fundraising Chairman and the CoVP of Records. Our raffle netted $300. If you want to learn what type of leader you are now and what type of leader you can become, Phi Theta Kappa is the place to be. The advisors became my mentors in many different areas. I have learned that I need to conquer my fears; sometimes knowing and doing can be two different things. Also, I completed the 5-Star Competitive Edge program. Completing the 5-Star program has given me skills that I couldn‘t learn by just going to class. I know it sounds so corny, but….there is no I in TEAM. Also, because of the size of our officer team, seventeen, I definitely learned how to follow. My ―golden ticket‖ was learning how to be a leader and a follower. Service Service: the action of helping or doing work for someone. Honors in Action is serving the community, whether it is the campus, the city, or the county. I learned so much from building, planting, and weeding the garden. The College Project is serving the campus community by working together with the administration. Through both projects I was able to make new friends and serve them. Because of the our Honors in Action project and the College Project, I have joined the Tarrant County Food Policy Group and the Tarrant County AntiPoverty Consortium to continue to serve the members of the community that live at or below the poverty level. My ―golden ticket‖ was becoming a member of the community to do good. Scholarship Scholarship: the academic study or achievement. This past years Honors in Action project was called ―Food Fight.‖ As part of scholarly learning for this project, I was part of the research team. We found interesting information on food, healthy eating, and growing a garden. We were honored in having a Master Gardeners of Tarrant County as our guide. He gave us a tour and information on their demonstration garden. Research was not the only part of it. The garden team developed the layout and costs to enlarge the community garden. I was also a part of the design team. We developed flyers to inform the students about eating healthier. Our College Project created the opportunity for Beta Sigma Mu to work with all the student organizations on campus. My ―golden ticket‖ was the new connections made with community leaders. Where am I now? In order to tell you where I am, I want to tell you where I came from. I am a returning student after being asked to leave with a 0.9 GPA. College was not important to me. Fellowship and activities were my priority back then. I was not in class, my roommate and I hung out doing nothing, but ready for something. I did not want to miss a thing, but I did. Today, I am sitting at Texas Wesleyan University working on my Bachelor‘s of Arts in Psychology. My GPA was a 3.48 at the time of my transfer from Tarrant County College because of hard work. Texas Wesleyan offered me $9,500 in scholarships my first semester. That is just a little over $2000 short of a full ride. I was also invited to join the Leadership and Success Honors Society on campus. I have one more opportunity to see my goals and dreams become a reality. If I can make it to where I am now, how much more can you? Phi Theta Kappa at the Trinity River Campus of Tarrant County College was and still is my golden ticket!
Going
Places
A
t 21, Nathaniel Peoples has logged more miles on his passport than some people have in a lifetime. His experiences growing up and traveling throughout the world have provided him with a rich global perspective and act as the foundation for shaping his destiny. TCC Writes Online Magazine wanted to get to know more about the former president of Trinity River‘s Beta Sigma Mu Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. What we discovered was an insightful and ambitious young man who seems to have a clear vision of where he‘s headed. The following are excerpts from our visit. TCC Writes: Where were you born? NP: Portsmouth, Virginia
TCC Writes: What has been your lifelong desire? NP: To become a CEO of a major technology firm.
TCC Writes: Where did you grow up? NP: Virginia, New Jersey, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Texas.
TCC Writes: How are you working toward that now? NP: Reading entrepreneurial books and watching financial videos non-stop. I am grooming myself to become a major business influence in the next ten years.
TCC Writes: What obstacles have you had to overcome to reach this point? I was raised by a single mother and grandmother. We were a military family moving from America to Italy and Japan.
TCC Writes: What interesting projects are you currently working on or involved in?
NP: I have participated in the Executive Leadership Class, All-Star
Leadership Program, and Men of Color Mentoring organization as a peer leader and student assistant. In addition, having held the chapter presidency of Phi Theta Kappa, I also ran for the position of the International Phi Theta Kappa president. I was elected as the Texas Region II vice president and selected as one of the moderators at Trinity River‘s fifth year celebration—I also participated as the campus student representative to the Board of Tarrant County College. My internships include the Fort Worth Transportation Authority and the Potter‘s House, both as an information technology specialist, and as a business analyst intern with Merrill Lynch. TCC Writes: So you must be a very busy. What do you see as your greatest strength and how are you using it? NP: I try to learn as much as possible about a subject. I see maximization as my greatest strength. TCC Writes: So what is maximization to you? NP: Maximization is improving strategies for effective and efficient possibilities, brain-storming innovative ideas, and being able to adapt to any situation. TCC Writes: Whom do you admire most and why? NP: I admire my grandmother. She is a strong political mover and shaker in Washington, D.C. She is Chair of the Veteran‘s Affairs for Women in the District of Columbia and the first African-American woman to advise Mitt Romney during his presidential campaign. TCC Writes: What role does TCC play in your life? NP: TCC has many influential scholars who have students‘ best interest at heart. Individuals at TCC who have played major roles in my life have been Mr. Lionel Bailey, for empowering students to break their inner status quo, and Mr. Sheldon Smart, for maximizing students‘ self-belief and assisting them in achieving positive goals, just to name a few. TCC Writes: Wow! You certainly have a lot going on. We appreciate you taking time to speak with us. Thank you. NP: You are certainly welcome.
Clinton and Nathaniel
Recruiting new members
From left-right - First row: Elizabeth Gonzales and Mai Truong, Second row: Stefan Brandon, Andre LaRue, JoAnn Biggers, Victoria Martinez, Heinrich Schander, and Nathaniel Peoples. Third row: Candace Eldridge, Everett Davis, Carla Rhymer , and Robert Copley, all volunteering at the Tarrant Food Bank.
A Word from Michael Gardner, TCC graduate and former Phi Theta Kappa Chapter President
Making a decision to attend TCC Trinity River Campus was one of the best decisions I have ever made since leaving the Marine Corps. I cannot think of enough words to describe how wonderful the experience was while attending college there. All of the instructors, administrators, and staff were top-of-the line professionals; whether you were in or out of their classrooms or offices, you always felt that students were the priority. Every instructor helped ease my fear of returning to school and opened my mind to new possibilities. One of my professors turned my attention to the Phi Theta Kappa (Beta Sigma Mu chapter) honor society. I have to admit, I was hesitant at first; the only organization that I had ever been part of was the Marine Corps. After talking with my professor, I understood the value and opportunity of being a member of Beta Sigma Mu‘s early stages at the Trinity River Campus. During my time at Tarrant County College, I became vice president of leadership of the Beta Sigma Mu chapter, and before graduating, I became chapter president. There are so many benefits of being accepted in such a well-known honor society. I networked with Phi Theta Kappa members, both in and out of the state of Texas. As my career progressed, the relationships I formed have proven to be a great resource. I cannot possibly mention all the benefits of becoming a member of the Beta Sigma Mu chapter, but I would like to share the benefits of scholarship opportunities for anyone who may be considering applying for membership. As a former member of PTK, I am so thankful for receiving a scholarship; it has significantly lowered my cost of attending a four-year university. If anyone is considering joining the Beta Sigma Mu chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, I would encourage them to do so. The skills one gains and the networking opportunities are endless. I received an Associates of Arts degree from Tarrant County College in 2011. My education at TCC has shaped my future and created the opportunity for me to attend the University of Texas at Arlington on an academic scholarship. I will be a candidate for a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Technology (Web Design) in the summer of 2015, and I am currently excited about my quest for researching upcoming internship opportunities. My involvement in Phi Theta Kappa has definitely changed my life.
Sincerely,
By Thomas Rudolph
I
What Draws You In
have always worked hard and been independent, traveling around the world building mission schools and helping others succeed. I have also lived a charmed life, having the opportunity to achieve almost every goal I set for myself. I have always been successful in everything in life until two major strokes changed all that.
Suddenly, I was thrust into a world where I needed help with everything, which was unfamiliar territory. Awaking from a two-week coma and being totally paralyzed for another two months, I realized that this was just the beginning of a very long journey to recovery. Being placed in a gloomy and depressing assisted-living / hospice care facility was like being put to death, and I was looking for a way out. After a very long reflection on what I needed to do with my life and how to work myself out of this situation, I determined that I first needed to get out of the facility and find something that was positive and constructive to occupy my time. Thus, I decided to enroll in college and get my degree to improve myself. I talked another resident into pushing me in my wheelchair up to Trinity River Campus to find out what it would take to get financial aid and enroll in school. Upon arrival, I was surprised to be met by very happy and helpful students and staff, who all smiled and treated me as one of them.
nature, but felt I needed to work on my weaknesses, and they offered me that opportunity to improve. After my first semester, I was invited and inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. What attracted me to the organization were the leadership development opportunities. There was great leadership/officer training at the beginning of the semester; it was amazing. Everyone gets a great foundation to start and build on. The continued leadership conferences and ongoing training can potentially develop anyone into future leaders. These wonderful opportunities led me to run for and be voted into office as a Vice President in my second year of school, which has given me additional opportunities to attend conferences that help strengthen my leadership skills. These leadership development opportunities drew me into this dynamic organization, and I will use these skills as I seamlessly transition to a 4-year institution and achieve my future goals in life.
After getting approved for financial aid and enrolled in classes in only two days, I learned that these individuals were members and officers of an honors club. They encouraged me to choose a degree-plan and to enroll in at least six-hours so that I could be involved in their organization. Well, you didn‘t have to ask me twice to jump on this opportunity. Being the overachiever that I am, I enrolled in 12-hours of classes and started attending the club meetings and other school functions. The school staff, Phi Theta Kappa students, and officers were not only inspirational and knowledgeable, but fun to be around. They included me as if I was one of their family, even though I was new. I have always been a leader by
Hanging out with Dr. Tyson McMillan, left, Thomas Rudolph, center, and Robert Copley, right.
The
Tides of By Kathryn Humphreys
"You‘ve never been anything more than a hindrance to all of us, and to be frank, you make me sick." The words came tumbling out of the large, odious man‘s mouth, creating great swells in a storm-tossed sea bent on devouring everything within their path. The remark splashed over my body in torrents, tearing me from safety and throwing me overboard. I was consumed. He peered over the railing to watch me drown as I reached out my hands for help. His eyes pierced my skin like a thousand daggers until the coldness forced me to look away. I was left to sink into an expansive sea of self-destruction strong enough to take down the mightiest frigate that called those waters home. Several ships passed me after that day, but none could save me.
Days turned into months, and months could have become years. I didn‘t know; Time had forsaken me in the same way Joy had. I was lost at sea, desperate for any signs of Hope on my own bleak horizon, but it remained endlessly empty. One day, Loneliness left me without a word. He simply touched my face and dissipated into nothingness. Panic lashed out inside of me. I visited the idea that no one would risk wrecking their own ship to guide me to the shores just beyond my reach. My rope was growing shorter. Just as I was ready to give up, I felt a small shifting within my belly. Joy had returned to sit beside me. I could hardly contain myself as I felt strength fill my arms and legs. Suddenly eager to survive, I began to swim for the first time in a long time. Soon after Joy had gifted me with a second chance, another friend filled my heart with the greatest warmth I had ever known: Love. They spoke to me of truths that were shamelessly stolen from me and exposed the lies that had left me scrambling for help. As they guided me back toward land, I was regaled with stories of what my future held. Once while we were laughing and carrying on about nothing in particular, I glanced toward the sea and saw what I had been looking for all this time. He stood just on the horizon, as bright as anything I had ever seen before.
Loneliness came to me during the night and accepted me as a friend. He sat with me when no one else would, and spoke to me gently of things like Hope and times of gladness. He told me they would never come, but he would remain by my side as long as I needed him. Soon, his friend Depression began to visit me. I didn‘t like Depression very much, because he brought along with him Guilt and Anger. The trio scared me, and I would sit with them silently, until Loneliness would return from his absences. I was losing myself to the ocean, bit by bit. However, it There stood hope. seemed that with every ounce of myself sent drifting away during that time, another part of me would come into my hands, a newer, brighter part that I had never known before. It was as though the same waters that had destroyed me were beginning to rebuild me.
Kathryn Humphreys
TCC WRITES
CONTRIBUTORS
To all Trinity River student writers, staff, faculty, administrators, contributors, and countless supporters of TCC Writes Online Magazine, who contributed to making this Phi Theta Kappa edition a success, thank you. Student Writing Contributions
Billy Lyons III, Everett J. Davis, Nathaniel Peoples, Patricia Perez-Macias, Kathryn Humphries, Samuel Colunga, Sarah Reckling, Tarnishia Allen-Franklin, Thomas Rudolph, and Todd Fratt
Photography Credits
Dee Parish, Samuel Colunga, Shawn Stewart, and Steven LeMons
Editors
Casey Mitchell, Shawn Stewart, Shelley Smith, Kaley McGill, and Steven LeMons
Faculty and Administrative Editors
Drs. Jim Schrantz and Tahita Fulkerson
Managing Editor Steven LeMons
Special Thanks
Candace Eldridge and Meryl Cope
Additional Contributions
Drs. Bryan Stewart, Jim Schrantz, Scott Robinson, Tahita Fulkerson, and Tyson McMillan, Phi Theta Kappa, Beta Sigma Mu Chapter and its members, Michael Gardner and Sharon Maxwell
Printing
The Trinity River Campus Copy Center
We would love to publish your work. For more information or to submit a writing sample to TCC Writes Online Magazine, please email your submission to tr.writes@tccd.edu or stop by the Writing & Learning Center at TREF 1402. Read other issues of TCC Writes Online Magazine online at www.issuu.com Enter tccwrites09 in the search window