March 25, 2025

East Mississippi Community College hosted a spring induction ceremony for the Golden Triangle campus’ chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society on Monday, March 24, in the Lyceum Auditorium.

During the ceremony, new members of the Beta Iota Zeta chapter of PTK were formally inducted. To qualify, the students must have maintained a GPA of 3.25 or higher with at least 12 completed college credit hours.

The ceremony included symbolic candle lighting and the signing of the chapter register, marking the students’ official entry into the prestigious honor society.

Refreshments for the evening were also provided. Beta Iota Zeta advisors Scott Baine, Dr. Kelly Cantrell and Dr. Brian Tesch conducted the ceremony, along with officers of the PTK chapter. Recruiters from universities from across the region were on hand after the ceremony concluded to speak with the inductees about transfer possibilities.

Recognized by the American Association of Community Colleges, Phi Theta Kappa is the official honor society for two-year colleges. PTK’s mission is to recognize and support the academic achievement of community college students and to help them develop into scholars and leaders.

For more information about the Beta Iota Zeta chapter of PTK, email Baine at abaine@eastms.edu.

Here is a list of the PTK inductees and their future plans:

Jadyn Baugh is a Drafting and Design Technology major. She will complete her degree in the spring of 2026. She hopes to become a video game developer and concept designer.

Kennedy Bell's career goal is to become a professional chef.

Matthew Davis is a Precision Manufacturing & Machining major. He will complete his associate degree in the spring of 2026. He plans to pursue a career in machining.

Hunter Dunn is a student in the Diesel Mechanics program. He will complete the program in May and has already passed the Master Level ASE Diesel certification. He is employed by Ford as a diesel mechanic.

Lakayria Dupree is a science major who is transferring to the University of Southern Mississippi next fall. She hopes to pursue a career in forensic science.

Jadon Edwards is an art major. He will complete his associate degree this spring and plans to teach art.  

Abigail Foster is a nursing major who is transferring to a university this fall. She hopes to become an obstetric nurse.

Breana Gandy is pursuing a degree in social work. She plans to transfer to Mississippi University for Women next fall to continue her education. She hopes to work with children and families to impact her community positively.

Cooper Goodman is a psychology major who plans to transfer to the Mississippi University for Women after he graduates from EMCC. He wants to use his degree to help people.

Aspen Helms is a business administration major who plans to transfer to Mississippi State University next spring. She hopes to pursue a career in general contracting to build houses. She is also a student ambassador at EMCC and enjoys welcoming new students to campus.

Emma Morgan is a biology major who will graduate in December. She would like to continue on the pre-med track at Mississippi State University and pursue a career as a physician.

Riley Oglesby is a health science major. She is pursuing a career in occupational therapy in hopes of making a difference in the lives of others. She hopes to one day open a nonprofit occupational therapy clinic.

Alexzandra Ortiz-Cappas is a nursing major. She plans to become a nurse practitioner and provide compassionate care for her community. She is dedicated to making a positive impact in the health care field.

Brayden Shields is a network security major. After finishing his Associate of Applied Science degree in the spring of 2026, he plans to transfer to Mississippi State University where he will complete his bachelor's degree in cybersecurity. He hopes to pursue a career in the field of network security.

Linden Stelioes-Wills is a civil engineering major who plans to transfer to Mississippi State University in the fall of 2026. He hopes to become heavily involved with the PTK organization and eventually work in engineering.

Tyler Stewart is a software engineering major. He is transferring to Mississippi State University next summer. He hopes to pursue a career in programming.

Aaron Thompson is a business administration major. After finishing at EMCC in 2026, he plans to transfer to a four-year university and finish his degree.