Kellye Whitler honored for 20 years as PTK Advisor at SIC
With 20 years of service as a Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) advisor at Southeastern Illinois College, Kellye Whitler has been honored with an award for her service.
Whitler became an advisor because as a PTK member when she was an SIC student under Bruce Boone and Gy Hughes, she “just absolutely loved what the organization is about.”
“What I love about PTK is that it promotes leadership and provides scholarships, as well as providing opportunities and tools for students to succeed,” said Whitler.
Addison Bean, president of the Mu Psi Chapter of PTK at SIC said, “If there is someone who deserves to be recognized for their time, effort, and support, it is Kellye. She puts her all into the organizations she is involved in and is student-orientated. She is the one who got me involved in PTK – the one who introduced me to an organization that changed my trajectory as a student. Kellye is an outstanding advisors, mentor, and friend.”
In a letter to SIC President Dr. Jonah Rice, Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, president and CEO of PTK, said this, “We at Phi Theta Kappa owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to our chapter advisors whose dedicated service is responsible for the success of our local chapters. Advisors are truly the lifeblood of our organization, and we are delighted to recognize them for their years of service. On your campus, we are proud to honor Kellye Whitler for 20 years of service as advisor of the Mu Psi Chapter.”
Kellye has been with SIC for 26 years coordinating and directing events and activities at the college, with a special emphasis on visual and performing arts. She now oversees the operations of the Ella Elizabeth Hise Museum of Regional Art as well as the clubs offered at the college, sponsoring a number of them herself. She was the first recipient to be awarded the Living the Mission Award at SIC in 2018 for her “service and leadership in activities that demonstrate and capture the spirit of SIC’s mission and vision.”
“We are so proud of the dedication and service Kellye has provided to our students over the last 20 years,” said Rice. “Kellye is one of the most altruistic, people-focused, and dedicated employees I’ve ever seen anywhere. She is so deserving of this recognition.”
Phi Theta Kappa was founded in 1918 and is the official community college honor society with more than 100 years of dedication to recognizing academic excellence. It is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 3.5 million members in the U.S. and 10 sovereign nations. Membership is based on superior academic achievement and is conferred only by invitation of the local chapter. PTK recognizes and rewards high-achieving students, provides opportunities to develop leadership skills, and awards $1.5 million in scholarships to members each year.
