Phi Theta Kappa (强), the international honor society for two-year colleges, recently recognized a Montgomery County Community College faculty member as a five-star advisor of the Beta τλ 在波茨敦校区的分会. 

Communication Studies Assistant Professor 梅雷迪斯•弗兰克 was presented with the award 完成在线课程后. 她收到了一份证书和一枚别针 and was recognized at the organization’s annual convention, Catalyst, in April.

“很好。. 它真的帮助了我，”弗兰克说. 这也真的很有帮助 me was Catalyst and a lot of the stuff I could answer from attending the sessions 并在前几年的大会上学习. 我认为这是很好的刷新. 这显示了Catalyst的重要性.”

The Lansdale native, who lives in Havertown, has been a co-advisor with Dr. 道格拉斯 Powell, History Assistant Professor, for the Beta τλ Chapter since 2020. 她 holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication, with a minor in psychology 他来自宾夕法尼亚州格林维尔的蒂尔学院.拥有专业硕士学位 来自拉萨尔大学的交流.

Frank began teaching at MCCC in 2002 as an adjunct faculty member. 她被聘为 a full-time instructor in 2019 and named an assistant professor in May 2023. 她开始 co-advising 强 during the early days of the pandemic.

“They said ‘We need you to take 强,’ because at the time, we had zero members, because 她回忆道. “他们想把它带回来. 他们说，‘你想要谁 你的助手?我说:“道格·鲍威尔。.我们合作得非常好，他是 good with emails and I’m good at getting students to join. 我们刚拿到强 达到 会员奖励.”

Over the last four years, Frank said the Beta τλ Chapter has grown to more 50人以上.

Frank said 强 is an important group on campus because it helps students achieve their 目标.

“I think it’s important to spread the word about money and scholarship opportunities,” 她说. “I’m a believer people will stay at school for other people. 他们与人见面 and have fun, and they are more likely to sign up for more classes.”

Some of the memorable 社区 service projects the group has organized or supported include working with Mission First in Pottstown to support the food insecure and working with faculty to cook trays of lasagna for Lasagna Love, a nonprofit organization that 为粮食不安全的人提供食物.

This semester the group made 60 greeting cards for seniors and 11 spring baskets for 波茨敦寄养家庭的孩子.

Powell praised Frank for their work in continuing to grow the chapter and help the 社区.

“It has been my great pleasure to serve as co-advisor with Professor Frank of the Beta τλ chapter of Phi Theta Kappa over the last three years,” said Powell. “We have grown the chapter and participated in some significant service efforts, including an annual clean-up and providing food assistance to the Pottstown 社区.  这些 efforts, many of which were spearheaded by Professor Frank, made a real difference in the 社区, and were personally enriching to the 强 students who participated. Professor Frank is a devoted advocate for 强, and her efforts have been invaluable 为我们分会的成功干杯.  I am delighted to see that she is being recognized 感谢她的贡献.”

Frank praised the work of Beta τλ student President 格鲁吉亚Horosky and Cameron 总值.

“学生们把我留在身边. 我们了不起的总统 格鲁吉亚Horosky 17岁. 她从14岁起就在这里了. 她要去参加催化剂大会 和我在一起. 她很擅长沟通.”

“卡梅伦·格罗斯，我喜欢她的进取心. 她会走得很远的，”弗兰克说. Both she and Horosky extended the offer to 总值 to become next semester’s 强 president. “她 could have gone to a prestigious four-year-institution, but Montco is more affordable. 她 came here and applied to the honors program and has really made the most of it. 她是我可以信赖的人.”

总值, 18, of Pottstown, is a Business Administration major, who said she was honored 被邀请成为总统. 弗兰克是最热情的教员之一 她在学院里认识的成员.

“If you’re having a bad day, or there’s something going wrong, just talking to her 有帮助，”她说. “她的热情令人难以置信.”

The five-star advisor award is wholly deserved, said 总值.

“It’s absolutely not surprising she’s being named a five-star advisor,” 她说, adding Frank has a deep level of empathy for students. “她知道人们是这样的 很忙，有很多事要做. I think it’s a really nice quality to have in an advisor. 她很支持我. To have someone like that running such a prestigious club 真的很重要.”

霍洛斯基同样对弗兰克评价很高.

“她是我第一批面对面的教授之一. 她是我喜欢bt365体育备用网站的一个重要原因. 她’s very welcoming and definitely someone who is always willing to help take on 另一个项目. I love her classes are so engaging and she’s really good at what 她教的是. 

“她说她愿意和任何人说话. If there’s someone to teach communication, it’s her. 她’s never not willing to reach out to get people engaged. 她不害怕. 有 没有人比她更适合拿导师奖了.”

MCCC has two 强 chapters – Alpha Kappa Zeta at the 蓝铃校园 and Beta Tau 波茨敦校区的Lambda. 这两个章节都达到了五星的地位 一个章节可以获得的最高等级. Dr. 凯瑟琳Parzynski 博士和. Cathy Hoult 她wring, History Professor, are the advisors for Alpha Kappa Zeta, and Powell, History Assistant Professor, and Frank are the advisors for Beta τλ.

To be eligible for the elite honor of being a 强 member, students must earn a minimum 在12个学分中，保持平均绩点3分.五级以上，品行端正 字符.