Students at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture were recognized for academic achievement and leadership during the Alpha Iota Tau Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) induction ceremony on May 6 in the Education Center Auditorium on the NCTA campus in Curtis.
Dr. Eric Reed, PTK faculty advisor, welcomed guests and recognized both new inductees and current members for their academic accomplishments and campus involvement.
“These students have proven their academic excellence, and we look forward to watching them lead and excel in their chosen fields,” Reed said.
Student officers leading the induction included Tera Horky, president; Rachel Bose, vice president; Jessalinn Dieriex, secretary/treasurer; and Sierra Kingsbury, student senate representative.
2026 Inductees:
Natalie Baker
Jenna Barnes
Samantha Durre
Savannah Hall
McKenzie Heil
Kyra Jespersen
Jace Lien
Hailey Loutzenhiser
Ailey Marburger
Courtney McCarthy
Weston Ploeger
Ann Prigge
Ashley Sasse
August Schow
Carly Stewart
Sydney Sybrant
Layna Wear
The ceremony also included the announcement of the 2026-27 PTK officer team. Officers elected to serve for the coming academic year are Samantha Durre, president; Jace Lien, vice president; August Schow, treasurer; Kyra Jespersen, secretary; and Jenna Barnes and Layna Wear, student senate representatives.
Phi Theta Kappa was established in 1918 to create a unified national honor society for students attending two-year colleges. The organization recognizes scholastic achievement while providing opportunities for leadership, service, fellowship and intellectual growth.
In 1929, the American Association of Community Colleges recognized Phi Theta Kappa as the official honor society for two-year colleges.
Today, Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in American higher education, with more than 2.5 million members and approximately 1,250 chapters worldwide, including chapters in the United States, Canada, Germany and Perú.
