Dallas College Brookhaven’s Alpha Delta Pi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society recently participated in the annual Texas Regional Convention. This year’s convention took place in Houston, Texas, at the Westin Galleria Houston from March 6-8.
Alpha Delta Pi chapter vice-president Maria Wagner said, “It was a lot of fun, I got to know my fellow officers and members better, and traveling as a group is always a good time.”
The Texas Regional Convention is a significant event where Phi Theta Kappa chapters from across the state convene to celebrate achievements, engage in leadership development and foster collaboration. This year, the convention featured a variety of workshops, meetings, competitions and culminated in a gala on the final night.
Committed member Diana Nguyen said that as TRC was her first convention, she did not know what to expect. However, she enjoyed the opportunity it gave her to get to know her chapter more and be entertained throughout the day with a good balance of attending the sessions and having personal time to recharge.
Throughout the convention, attendees participated in numerous workshops and general sessions designed to enhance leadership skills, academic excellence and service initiatives. The workshops ranged from topics such as ‘Network Like a Pro’ to ‘Navigating the Ethics of AI in Academia’.
Alejandro Arballo, chapter president, said, “One of the key takeaways I had from a session was that everyone has their own path in life – success can be defined in many ways.” The sessions provided valuable insights and strategies for chapter development as well as personal growth.
Techchheng Tray, chapter vice-president of scholarship, said that one of the key moments of the convention for him was hearing keynote speaker Mari Ann Callais, who gave a motivational speech with hints of live music. Strumming her guitar, inviting students on stage and sharing a story on the importance of pushing through to earn a higher education inspired many, including Tray.
In addition to the educational sessions, the convention hosted competitions where chapters showcased their projects and initiatives. The Alpha Delta Pi chapter took home ‘Top Chapter of the Year,’ which the chapter has not won in a few years, and ‘Distinguished Chapter Officer’ won by their vice-president of fellowship Jacqueline Sastre.
Rebekah Benevides, Alpha Delta Pi chapter advisor, won the ‘Outstanding Leadership & Service to the Texas Region Advisory Board’ award. Benevides said, “For me, [this] means that I’ve made a difference somewhere to someone and it makes the award that much more meaningful.”
The convention concluded with a gala and dance, providing attendees an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments and network with fellow members in an energetic atmosphere.
Alpha Delta Pi’s involvement in the Texas Regional Convention provided valuable opportunities for leadership development. Members left with new insights, connections and strategies to enhance their chapter’s initiatives and engagement on the Brookhaven campus.
Benevides said, “I think it’s important for students to attend these conferences because it opens them up to new opportunities… there’s so much to learn and do at these conferences.”
