Photo Caption: Row one: pictured, left to right: Greg Mewbourn, Karen Roush, Kara Wessels, Kaitlyn Owens, Rebecca Parsons and Nathan Smith, Row two: James Pegler.

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - July 23, 2014) - - - Columbia State Community College was represented at the Tennessee Region Phi Theta Kappa Convention and the annual convention in Orlando, Fla. this spring.

Among those attending were students Rebecca Parsons (Spring Hill), Kara Wessels (Spring Hill), James Pegler (Columbia), Kaitlyn Owens (Mt. Pleasant) and Nathan Smith (Antioch), joined by sponsors Greg Mewbourn and Karen Roush.

Columbia State's Beta Kappa Theta chapter members received recognition in both chapter and individual categories. The awards included Chapter of Light, Five Star Chapter Award, Honors in Action Project (3^rd place), Distinguished Chapter Office Team (4^th place), College Project (2^nd place) and Distinguished Chapter (3^rd place).

Pegler received the Distinguished Chapter Member Award, an honor that is highly competitive. Members are nominated by their home chapters and chosen based on their embodiment of the Hallmarks of the Society: scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship. The 30 award recipients were selected by a panel of judges from more than 650 nominees internationally.

Phi Theta Kappa, established in 1918, is the largest honor society in higher education with chapters on college campuses in all 50 of the United States as well as numerous colleges world-wide. Its purpose is to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students. To achieve this, the society provides opportunities 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.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.

Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.