For the 2024 Hallmark Awards, chapters may write about their activities completed from January to December 2023. Awards will be presented at Phi Theta Kappa’s annual convention, PTK Catalyst, in Orlando, Florida, April 4-6, 2024.
The online Hallmark Award applications will be available in Fall 2023 at http://my.ptk.org. Chapter members are encouraged to finalize their entries before copying and pasting the text into the online application forms.
Once apps are available, advisors have immediate access. However, advisors must provide their chapter member(s) access to the entry forms by reporting them to Headquarters as Hallmark Awards Chapter Delegates. This ensures that the chapter's entries are coordinated as a team. Follow these instructions to report your chapter's Hallmark Delegates.
Chapter Awards | Administrator Awards | Member Awards | Advisor Awards | Region Awards | Alumni Awards
CHAPTER AWARDS
Honors in Action Project Awards
Chapters may submit one entry which describes one in-depth Honors in Action Project based on a theme of the current Honors Study Topic. Honors in Action projects incorporate academic research and analysis, action (service or advocacy), collaboration, and impact. The current Phi Theta Kappa Honors Program Guide is a primary resource to help you develop and implement your Honors in Action Project. Chapters submitting entries for the Honors in Action Project Awards may request at the time of application that the chapter’s entry be considered for publication in Civic Scholar: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Undergraduate Research as well.
2024 Honors in Action Project Entry Questions and Judging Rubrics
College Project Awards
Chapters may submit one entry featuring their College Project, described in the Lead Star of the Five Star Chapter Plan. The purpose of the College Project is to establish and/or strengthen a supportive relationship between the chapter and the college administration. The chapter should meet with the college president (or other appropriate administrator) to determine the College Project, which can be anything that supports the college's mission. Chapters submitting entries for the College Project Awards are also considered for Phi Theta Kappa’s Change Makers: Journal of Student Leadership
2024 College Project Award Entry Questions and Judging Rubrics
CCsmart Champion Awards
The CCsmart Champion Awards recognize chapters and colleges for their exceptional work as advocates for community colleges through our CCsmart initiative, an awareness campaign designed to change the conversation about community colleges, promote student-led advocacy of community colleges, and provide reliable information to the public about community college opportunities. College Projects focused on CCsmart are eligible for the CCsmart Champion Award as well as the Distinguished College Project Award. No additional entry required.
Distinguished Chapter Awards
To be considered for a Distinguished Chapter Award, a chapter must submit entries for both the Honors in Action Project and College Project Award. The top 10% of chapters submitting both Honors in Action Project and College Project Awards will be recognized as Distinguished Chapters.
Beta Alpha Continued Excellence Awards
If a chapter is named a Distinguished Chapter three years consecutively, the chapter will be presented the Beta Alpha Continued Excellence Award. This award was named for the Beta Alpha Chapter, Blinn College, Brenham, Texas.
Top 10 Most Distinguished Chapters
Chapters recognized as the Society’s Top 10 Chapters:
- Must score highly in both the Honors in Action and College Project award categories
- Must be a REACH chapter, having achieved or exceeded a 15% membership acceptance rate
- Must be named a Five Star Chapter (based on activities in 2023)
ADMINISTRATOR AWARDS
Distinguished College Administrator Awards
The Distinguished College Administrator Awards are awarded to college vice presidents, deans or directors serving at a postsecondary institution with an active Phi Theta Kappa chapter. Nominees should have served in their position for at least three years as of December 6, 2023, and should have demonstrated during their tenure a strong level of support for the Society. Attendance at PTK Catalyst is NOT required for the acceptance of the award. A college administrator may receive this award only once. Each chapter may submit one nominee. College presidents, campus CEOs and state community college directors are not eligible for this award. Active Phi Theta Kappa advisors are not eligible and should be nominated for an advisor award. Up to 25 Distinguished College Administrator Awards may be presented each year.
2024 Distinguished College Administrator Award Entry Questions
Paragon Award for New Presidents
College presidents and campus CEOs are selected for this award for their outstanding efforts given toward promoting Phi Theta Kappa's mission and student success. Nominees should have served no more than three years as CEO of their current institution as of December 6, 2023. Attendance at PTK Catalyst is NOT required for acceptance of the award. Up to 25 Paragon President Awards may be presented each year. A college president or campus CEO may receive this award only once. College presidents, chancellors or campus CEOs of postsecondary institutions with an active Phi Theta Kappa chapter are eligible for this award.
2024 Paragon Award for New Presidents Entry Questions
Shirley B. Gordon Awards of Distinction
College presidents and campus CEOs are selected for this award for outstanding efforts given toward promoting Phi Theta Kappa's mission and student success. Nominees should have served as president at least five years at the current institution as of December 6, 2023, and demonstrated during their tenure a strong level of support for Phi Theta Kappa. Attendance at PTK Catalyst is NOT required for acceptance of the award. A college president or campus CEO may receive this award only once. College presidents or campus CEOs of postsecondary institutions with an active Phi Theta Kappa chapter are eligible for this award. As many as 25 Gordon Awards may be presented annually.
2024 Gordon Award Entry Questions
Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Awards
The Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented to retiring college presidents and campus CEOs at postsecondary institutions with an active Phi Theta Kappa chapter. Retiring community college state directors who have been supportive of Phi Theta Kappa and student success throughout their careers are also eligible. Nominees should have served in their position at least five years at the current institution, system or state association office as of December 6, 2023. Attendance at PTK Catalyst is NOT required for acceptance of the award. An unlimited number of these awards may be given.
2024 Bennett Award Entry Questions
Distinguished Community College State Director Awards
The Distinguished Community College State Director Awards recognize the contributions of heads of statewide community college associations or systems. Entries for this award demonstrate the Community College State Director's support of Phi Theta Kappa and student success throughout their state during their term of service. Nominees should have served in their position for at least three years as of December 6, 2023. Chapters are encouraged to work with their college president to identify and nominate deserving state directors for this award. Entries may be submitted by a chapter, chapter advisor or Regional Coordinator. Attendance at PTK Catalyst is NOT required for acceptance of the award. A Community College State Director may receive this award only once. An unlimited number of these awards may be presented.
2024 Community College State Director Entry Questions
MEMBER AWARDS
Distinguished Chapter Officer Team Awards
A chapter advisor may nominate their entire chapter officer team for this award. The officers should demonstrate an exceptional atmosphere of teamwork, leadership abilities, promotion of Honors in Action and other engagement in the Society, and enthusiasm for the Society's Hallmarks.
2024 Distinguished Chapter Officer Team Award Entry Questions and Judging Rubrics
Distinguished Chapter Officer Awards
Distinguished Chapter Officers are selected based on the recipients' demonstration of leadership, promotion of PTK programs/benefits, and enthusiasm for the Society's Hallmarks. International Officers are not eligible for this award during their year of tenure. The chapter may nominate up to two individual officers for this category, including a chapter president. However, team leaders or committee chairpersons who have been appointed (not elected) may not be nominated for this award. A student may receive this award only once.
2024 Distinguished Chapter Officer Award Entry Questions and Judging Rubrics
Distinguished Chapter Member Awards
Distinguished Chapter Members are selected based on a student's embodiment of the Hallmarks of the Society and their active participation in the chapter. Members holding elected office at the chapter, regional or international levels are ineligible for this award. Team leaders or committee chairpersons may be nominated for this award, if their leadership position is by appointment not election. A student may receive this award only once.
2024 Distinguished Chapter Member Award Entry Questions and Judging Rubrics
ADVISOR AWARDS
Distinguished Chapter Advisor Team Awards
A chapter may nominate their advisor team of two or more for this award. The advisors should demonstrate an exceptional atmosphere of teamwork, leadership abilities, promotion of Phi Theta Kappa programming and other engagement in the Society, and enthusiasm for the Society’s Hallmarks. Advisors nominated for this award may also be nominated for other individual advisor awards. Chapter advisor teams are eligible to win this award every other year.
2024 Distinguished Advisor Team Award Entry Questions and Judging Rubrics
Advisor Individual Awards
Award-winning advisors are those who make significant contributions to the growth of the individual members, serve as the chapter's advocate on campus, and encourage the chapter to be involved on the local, regional and/or international levels of the organization. Years of service will be based upon the advisor's start date reported to Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters.
Paragon Awards for New Advisors - Advisors with less than four years of service as of January 10, 2024. An advisor may receive this award only once.
Distinguished Advisor Awards - Advisors with at least four or more years of service as of January 10, 2024. An advisor may receive this award only once.
Continued Excellence Awards for Advisors - Advisors must have already received the Distinguished Advisor Award. Once an advisor has received the Distinguished Advisor Award, they will be eligible for the Continued Excellence Award for Advisors the following year. Advisors are eligible to win this award every other year.
2024 Advisor Awards Entry Questions and Judging Rubrics (Paragon Advisor, Distinguished Advisor & Continued Excellence Advisor Awards)