Alpha Mu Chi wins National Case Study Challenge Competition

Alpha Mu Chi, Northeast Texas Community College’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, earned national acclaim as one of four chapters to win the 2018 Honors Case Study Challenge competition. Tied to the larger Phi Theta Kappa Honors in Action research project, the Case Study Challenge competition gives chapter members an opportunity to focus their attention on a specific area of study.

The challenge encourages individual members and chapters of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society to use newspapers as a study aid and to remain aware of current events. Each of the four winning chapters will receive $500 and be recognized on stage at Catalyst, Phi Theta Kappa’s International Annual Convention in April. Alpha Mu Chi members have also been asked to present an Educational Forum on their winning entry at the upcoming International Conference.

The entry, entitled “Myth and Reality about Mental Health: Does it Matter?” focused on stigmas regarding mental health and how misconceptions impact the ability to make helpful, informed decisions when dealing with mental health. The chapter chose the focus of the case study after brainstorming for several hours and boiling down their interests into a topic that affected them directly as students and which seemed particularly relevant to society at large. The topic was chosen at the end of the spring semester, with most of the research taking place throughout the summer and early fall semester.

Alicia Cantrell (Chapter President), Melonie Chamness and Brenda Godoy (both of whom serve in Vice-President positions) worked together as lead writers for the submission, while being assisted by several others. Those who contributed most to the project via ideas and/or research include Tyson Allen, Rachel Jordan, Hannah Dickson, Tyler Bernard, Sarah Craig, Sebastian Martinez, Patrick Madison, Adriana Rodriquez, Cassidy Watkins, Angela Garza, Nubia Sanchez, Kelly Brizuela, and Gilbert Moore.

Cantrell said that they were looking for a topic that they could relate to which was relevant in society today and could steer them towards coming up with a meaningful, actionable solution.

“We all realized that, whether it be directly or indirectly, we have been impacted by mental illness,” Cantrell said.

After taking into account member research from several articles in USA Today, the New York Times, and other national newspapers, the lead editors distilled the content of four selected articles into a two-page report on the topic of mental health in America and around the world. The entry also included a series of questions designed to encourage discussion about key portions of the topic and an analysis of future implications.

“Of all the awards that the chapter wins, this is one I’m most delighted to see them win. It takes true teamwork to win this honor, and the entire chapter is recognized as a result,” said PTK advisor Dr. Melissa Fulgham. “They have been an extraordinary group this past year and it’s nice to see their efforts validated in this way.”

This is the third time that the Alpha Mu Chi chapter has won the Honors Case Study Challenge. Their first win came in 2014 with an entry entitled “What Does the Chalk Say?: Innovating America’s Classroom.” The chapter’s entry entitled “Come Together, Right Now, Over Green: Exploring the Political Economy of Recycling” won in 2015.