Dr. Benjamin Worth, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Mountain Gateway Community College, has been selected as a Distinguished College Administrator by Phi Theta Kappa, the official national academic honorary society for two-year colleges. The PTK award recognizes college administrators for their outstanding support of student success. ”While you were nominated for this award by the highest-achieving students on your campus,” commented Lynn Tincher-Ladner, PTK President and Chief Executive Officer, “this award is really about your commitment to the success of all students. They know you have their back when it comes to providing opportunities for them to succeed—thank you for that.” Dr. Worth came to the College in 2016. He is MGCC’s Chief Academic Officer and provides leadership for 17 fulltime faculty and over 80 adjunct faculty members, in both transfer and technical programs. He oversees the Academic Affairs staff, including the MGCC Library, as well as administrative assistants. He serves on several committees and workgroups for the Virginia Community College System, including Academic and Student Affairs Council Academic Programs Committee, which he chairs. Dr. Worth earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Classics from Washington and Lee University; a Master’s Degree in English from James Madison University; and his Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation from the University of Kentucky. Among the many projects and initiatives that Dr. Worth has either directed or participated in: a General Education Task Force with the VCCS to draft new competencies for general education as directed by the State Council of Higher Education; Blended Course Construction, which teamed up 12 instructors to create educational content for blended courses; and an eMentor program which paired experienced online instructors with new instructors. Dr. Worth praised the good works of the MGCC chapter of PTK, citing the many activities they’ve sponsored on campus. “We are currently developing a research project to explore the impact of play in the community,” explained Ashley Pratt, one of the chapter’s co-advisors, along with Rachael Thompson and Lee Anne Bowling. “This project incorporates both academic research and a service project with the community. The chapter has also been developing short videos to use in the campus implementation of PTK’s CCsmart program, which is a student-led initiative supporting community colleges through a focus on the positive opportunities found on our campus.” This spring, several PTK students will attend conferences hosted by PTK to develop leadership skills, prepare for college transfer or the workforce, and encourage students to engage in service. “Perhaps most importantly,” stated Thompson, “PTK students place service above self, participating in various community service projects, such as adopting the entrance and exit ramps on I-64 near the college entrance and keeping them clean, conducting a drive for Christmas gifts and items for families of Safehome Systems, collecting jars of peanut butter for area locations of the Virginia Federal of Food Banks and leading a clothing drive for the on-campus Cubby Closet, which offers both food and professional clothing for students in need. An awards ceremony to honor all of the recipients of the PTK Distinguished College Administrator Award will be held April 21 in Columbus, OH, during the PTK annual convention. Students eligible for membership in PTK must have completed at least 12 credit hours of coursework in their designated program of study with a minimum GPA of 3.5. For more information about PTK, contact Pratt at (540) 863-2851 or apratt@mgcc.edu.
