Durham Tech president receives Lifetime Achievement award from student honor society

Stephanie Turner
Mar 11, 2020

 

president bill ingram headshot Durham Tech President Bill Ingram is one of 10 retiring college presidents and chancellors who will receive the Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Award from the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK).

Ingram, who will retire this June after serving at the College since 1983, is the only North Carolina recipient of this year’s award.

Awards will be given during the society’s annual convention, the PTK Catalyst 2020, in April near Dallas, Texas.

This award is given to retiring college leaders who have encouraged student success through such efforts as “recognizing academic achievement, leadership, and service among high-achieving students,” said the honor society in a news release.

Representatives from the Durham Tech PTK chapter nominated Ingram, said co-advisor Shannon Hahn, who is also the Foreign Languages Chair.

“Dr. Ingram is one of our more vocal supporters on campus and speaks highly of PTK when the opportunity arises,” the nomination letter read. “He sees our PTK students as ambassadors for the college and publicly appreciates their leadership and scholarship.”

Ingram’s support for the chapter includes speaking at each induction ceremony, nominating students annually for PTK scholarships, and recognizing members at commencement and other college events.

“On a chapter level, Dr. Ingram’s regular participation in induction has been encouraging to many students,” as stated in the nomination letter. “Having the college president speak highly of their success in such an intimate forum impacts the students, some of whom have never been applauded for academic success.”

Dr. Michael Bennett, the award’s namesake, was the longtime president of St. Petersburg College in Florida.

PTK is present in more than 1,000 community college campuses across 11 nations. For more on the society, visit ptk.org.

Kimberly Boyce, Professional Practice Experience Coordinator for Health Information Technology, and Kara Battle, Dean of Science, Engineering, and Math, co-advise the Durham Tech chapter with Hahn. For more information on the Durham Tech chapter, visit durhamtech.edu/student-services/student-life/student-clubs-and-organizations/phi-theta-kappa.

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Contact Stephanie Turner, Marketing and Media Relations Coordinator, at turners@durhamtech.edu for more.