Nina Nguyen and Ali Attar are two active PTK members raising money two campus organizations this semester. Nicholas Ketchum | Washtenaw Voice
By Nicholas Ketchum
Deputy Editor
Active members of Phi Theta Kappa’s WCC chapter are back at it again this semester.
In collaboration with the facilities management department, PTK, a two-year college honor society for academic achievers, is raising money by returning recyclable bottles collected from campus disposal bins by the department.
Pivoting from last year, raised funds will now be split halfwise between two groups: the WCC Food Pantry and PTK itself.
Last year, some active PTK members collected more than $1,000 in bottle return deposits in efforts to raise money for the on-campus food pantry. The food pantry is a charitable service provided by WCC to help provision students in need with basic living necessities, such as food, clothing and toiletries.
This year, half of the funds will now be put towards scholarships to satisfy the one-time $90 PTK membership fee for deserving students. The other half will continue to the food pantry.
Ali Attar, 17, a PTK member and WTMC student, said since May they’ve raised $1,000 for scholarships, and are on track to double it by semester’s end.
Nina Nguyen, 17, a PTK member and WTMC student, cited large campus events as catalyzing higher returns, and therefore higher results.
“This semester we should make around $2,000. Possibly more depending on events,” she said. “During the summer there was the UA event and the Ironworkers—we cleared up all of those bags, which is a lot.”
Right now 11 scholarships are available; if they top $2,000 they’ll possibly add another 10 or 11 scholarships to bring the total to near 20.
According to Attar, not everyone who is eligible to join PTK can afford its $90 membership fee. He also said the scholarships can help cover the entire fee, or part of the fee if a student can afford to make a partial payment. So, if a student can afford to pay $50, the scholarship would cover the remaining $40.
“We acknowledge there are college students here who can’t afford to just lose $90…. even though it is a one-time fee, $90 is still a lot; it could be a whole month’s worth of groceries, depending on [circumstances],” Nguyen said.
When PTK membership opens, students can apply for the scholarship on the Campus Connect website, which hosts member pages for campus organizations and student groups.
Attar says considered and well-written answers to each open response prompt will help applicants in receiving awards. For example, instead of writing a single line for each prompt, applicants should provide detail and depth when answering questions. This way applicants can show their interest in the organization and the attention directed towards it.
According to Attar, when PTK opens enrollment for new members later this month, students eligible for PTK will likely receive emails linking to Campus Connect where they can apply for the scholarship.
To be eligible for PTK membership, students need a 3.5 GPA on 12 credits of 100 level classes or higher.
Nguyen hopes more people will discover the scholarships this year, compared to last year.
“Not a lot of people knew the scholarships existed, so we really only had one or two people actually apply for it, so they automatically got it,” she said.
In the meantime, Attar and Nguyen encourage PTK and non-PTK students alike to pitch in.
“Even if they’re not PTK members, right now we only have two cars that are able to go,” Nguyen said. “Only two of our officers have vehicles to take us to Meijer and load the cans up.”
According to Nguyen, each week, the group picks up at least several bags from facilities management. The returned deposits quickly add up.
“One bag is around $25, and each week there are at least 6 or 7 bags, so do the math,” she said.
When asked how many return machines they’ve broken so far: Nguyen is in the lead with two, compared to just one for Attar. Both said Meijer has been very accommodative of their project. So far.
