Isothermal Community College recently started a new chapter of the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS). The college is partnering with Rutherford and Polk County high schools to offer students the opportunity to join the society.

The mission of NTHS is to honor student achievement and leadership in career and technical education, promote educational excellence, award scholarships and enhance career opportunities for members.

“The college is excited to be able to offer this opportunity to students in technical programs,” said Kim Alexander, Isothermal’s dean of Business Sciences. “Technical programs are in the fields of business, health sciences, computer information technology, industrial and production technologies, construction, engineering, and our upcoming agriculture and hospitality programs. As members of the NTHS, students will have access to resources for scholarships and employment. By working with the high schools, we are able to coordinate two counties of students and parents to come together, while building and fostering relationships that will ultimately help our college students and the communities in which we serve in the Isothermal region.”

Sarah Kilgo and Tiffany Cooper, business sciences instructors, are the college’s advisors for the new chapter. Steve Hollifield and Chester Peeler, instructors in applied sciences, are also assisting with the launch of NTHS. Membership to NTHS is by invitation only and certain criteria must be met. A student must have taken least six credit hours in the semester and must have a GPA of 3.25 or higher.

The National Technical Honor Society currently serves approximately 80,000 active members in 2014 and nearly 750,000 since its inception in 1984. Over $200,000 in scholarships is awarded annually to its members. NTHS honors the achievements of top career and technical education students, provides scholarships to encourage the pursuit of higher education and cultivates excellence in today’s highly competitive, skilled workforce. For more than 30 years, NTHS has been the acknowledged leader in the recognition of outstanding student achievement in career and technical education. For more information log on to NTHS website, nths.org.

-Article submitted by Michael Gavin