Photo Caption: Several members of the Columbia State chapter of Phi Theta Kappa received literary awards at their regional and international conventions this April. The Beta Kappa Theta chapter was also awarded the prestigious Chapter of Light award, as well as first place for Outstanding Chapter and its Honors in Action project. The honors society is classified as a 5-star chapter.

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - April 27, 2012) - - - Beta Kappa Theta, the Columbia State Community College chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honors society walked away with a lengthy list of recognitions from the regional and international convention held in Nashville during April. Of the 13 chapters and numerous literary submissions from members across Tennessee, Columbia State received high honors as a chapter and for many of its individual members.

The awards are both in recognition of the chapter at Columbia State and specifically in recognition of some of the members:

Columbia State placed first as Outstanding Chapter and first place for its Honors in Action project and was named a 5-Star Chapter and was awarded the Chapter of Light.

The college also placed third for Outstanding Officers Team, recognizing Laci Baker, Tarra Baker, Rachel Cannon, Jessica Flick and Amber Hughes). Tarra Baker was recognized in 4th Place as the Outstanding Individual Officer.

Columbia State had several submissions to the literary anthology, including a first place poetry submission by Eli Anderson, a second place poetry submission by Laci Baker and an honorable mention with the poetry of Jessica Flick. Fiction awards for second place went to Tarra Baker, and an honorable mention for fiction went to Harvie Walters. Finally, an honorable mention went to Philip Wiley for his nonfiction submission.

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, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.