College of Southern Maryland President of Beta Delta Delta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Kellee Johnson, of Leonardtown, left, is joined by Chapter Secretary Miranda Reyna, of Chaptico, Chapter Vice President Sophia Minshall, of Mechanicsville, and chapter members Holly Gonzalez, of La Plata, Leanna Zimmerman, of Leonardtown and Evan Dahlstrom, of Prince Frederick (not pictured) as they add names to the “Commit to Complete” banner.
The CSM effort is part of Phi Theta Kappa’s Community College Completion Corps (C4) national program to encourage students to complete a college credential. “Our chapter started this initiative because we want every student to understand the importance of earning a credential at CSM. Many students recognized the importance of completing a bachelor’s degree, but we want to raise awareness of how beneficial it is to have a certificate or an associate’s degree from CSM–even if students plan on transferring to complete a bachelor’s degree,” Johnson said.
According to a recent economic impact study of community colleges in Maryland, the average income at the career midpoint of someone with an associate’s degree in the CSM service area is $48,000 or 35 percent more than a student with only a high school diploma.
The Beta Delta Delta Chapter members gathered more than 150 signatures on the first day of the effort and will continue the initiative until the banner, which holds 800 names, is full. For information on CSM, visit www.csmd.edu.