Big Bend students pledge to complete school

MOSES LAKE - Going to college is one thing. Completing college is another matter entirely.

The Big Bend Community College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa held a "Pledge to Completion" event Wednesday at the BBCC Student Success Center, encouraging students to complete their college education. It also provided an opportunity for school administration and faculty to pledge their support to students.

The United States has fallen behind other countries in higher education completion rates, said Halden Keen, president of BBCC Phi Theta Kappa.

Phi Theta Kappa is an international two-year college honor society with more than two million members and 1,200 chapters in all U.S. states, U.S. territories, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Germany, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, United Arab Emirates and Palau.

The organization heads the Community College Completion Corps, a student-led initiative to raise awareness of the importance of college completion.

In April 2010, leaders of six national organizations representing the nation's 1,200 community colleges signed the "Call to Action," which pledged an increase in student completion rates by 50 percent over the next decade to meet President Obama's challenge to produce an additional 5 million degrees and certificates in that time.

Phi Theta Kappa decided to hold the event as part of their College Project, said Keen. The College Project requires members to complete a project that supports the mission of the college, he added.

Phi Theta Kappa had a written pledge on hand Wednesday students could sign to show they meant business.

BBCC pre-nursing student Juan Zavala thought the pledge was a good way to support students.

"I think it's a great thing," he said. "I think there's a lot of people starting college, but without support to finish it. I think all students need that little push." He added, "But that's one thing Big Bend does pretty well anyway; they get behind their students."

"I really think everyone should strive for it," said BBCC industrial maintenance student and Phi Theta Kappa member Kazar Sheriff of completing college. "We're no longer number one in the world. Let's kick it into gear and make it back to number one where we should be."