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Northeast Texas Community College provides students with an affordable place to begin their education close to home. Through Phi Theta Kappa and NTCC’s Alpha Mu Chi chapter, that beginning can lead to scholarships, leadership experience, university transfer, and recognition far beyond the college campus.
Mount Vernon students have played a key role in the chapter’s success. Former Alpha Mu Chi President Alicia Cantrell leveraged opportunities at NTCC to launch a notable career in public-interest law. Today, Mount Vernon resident Sky Bass is continuing that tradition as chapter president for the 2026-27 academic year.
Founded in 1918, the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society recognizes academic achievement among students at associate degree-granting colleges. The organization has more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,250 chapters across 11 countries.
The American Association of Community Colleges recognizes PTK as the official honor society for two-year colleges. PTK's work centers on four hallmarks: scholarship, leadership, service, and fellowship.
At NTCC, students generally qualify for an invitation to Alpha Mu Chi after completing at least 12 hours of associate degree coursework with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Full-time, part-time, and eligible dual-credit students may qualify.
Members gain access to scholarships, transfer resources, leadership education, service opportunities, and professional development. Participation is flexible. Some students focus on academic recognition and transfer opportunities, while others conduct research, organize service projects, attend conferences, or serve as chapter officers.
Additional information is available on our Alpha Mu Chi membership page.
Alpha Mu Chi has demonstrated that students from a rural community college can compete successfully at state and international levels.
At the 2026 Phi Theta Kappa Texas Regional Convention, the chapter earned a record 38 awards. Alpha Mu Chi earned Five Star status, was recognized as a leading chapter in Texas, and received honors for campus impact and for excellence in research and action.
The chapter’s “40 Stories, 40 Years” project documented NTCC’s history through 40 video interviews with current and former students, original faculty, college presidents, and others connected to the college.
The project was named the leading Honors in Action project in Texas. At PTK Catalyst 2026 in Baltimore, it was recognized as one of the three leading international projects in its theme. Alpha Mu Chi was also named among PTK’s Top 100 chapters and received the Distinguished Chapter Award, a designation shared by approximately 20 chapters worldwide.
NTCC student José Fuentes added another historic achievement by being elected Phi Theta Kappa’s international president. He is the first NTCC student to hold the society’s highest student office and represents members in the United States and 10 other countries.
Few stories illustrate the possibilities associated with Phi Theta Kappa as clearly as the story of Mount Vernon High School graduate and NTCC alumna Alicia Cantrell.
Cantrell began at NTCC as a Mount Vernon Rotary scholarship recipient. She became a Presidential Scholar in Honors Northeast and served as president of Alpha Mu Chi and the Honors Student Council. She also helped establish the NTCC Speech and Debate Club and served as its president.
Her academic record and leadership earned regional and national recognition. Cantrell was named a Coca-Cola Leader of Promise, received the Walter B. Cooper Scholarship, and was inducted into the PTK District III Hall of Honor.
In 2018, she became a Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar and received a $1,500 scholarship. That year, she was also selected for the highly competitive Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
Cantrell received a total of $65,000 for three years of undergraduate study and later received an additional $75,000 for graduate school. That assistance helped her earn a law degree from Northeastern University School of Law.
During law school, Cantrell worked with a federal judge in Massachusetts. She also interned in Congress twice and completed internships, fellowships, and other assignments across all three branches of the federal government. Her experience has included the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Civil Rights Unit of a U.S. attorney’s office.
Cantrell passed the Uniform Bar Examination on her first attempt and is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts. In a recent NTCC alumni spotlight, she shared that she was completing a judicial clerkship with a family law judge in Nevada.
Cantrell credits NTCC with helping her recognize her abilities and build the confidence to pursue ambitious goals. She has also identified Alpha Mu Chi lead adviser Dr. Melissa Fulgham as an important mentor whose support shaped her path.
Her journey from Mount Vernon to NTCC, law school, and public service demonstrates what can happen when academic ability is paired with mentoring, persistence, and opportunity.
That tradition continues with Mount Vernon resident Sky Bass, president of Alpha Mu Chi and granddaughter of SuFran Bass and the late Bryon Bass, both longtime Mount Vernon ISD educators.
Bass is an accounting major entering Honors Northeast and plans to become a forensic accountant. She has also participated in NTCC student government and other aspects of campus life.
Bass was among four Alpha Mu Chi members selected for the 2026 Dr. Mary Hood Texas STAR Scholarships. NTCC students received four of the 10 scholarships awarded statewide that year.
“I know it will be a long road of degrees and certifications, but I’m determined to become a forensic accountant,” Bass said.
She explained that the profession combines her interests in business and data analysis with “a career that truly gives back.” More information is available in our Texas STAR scholarship announcement.
Bass leads an officer team representing several Northeast Texas communities:
Alexander and Nesselrode's participation shows that dual-credit students can do more than accumulate college credits. They can become active members of the college community, earn academic recognition, and begin developing leadership experience before high school graduation.
Alpha Mu Chi lead adviser Dr. Melissa Fulgham praised the officers and the opportunities PTK offers. “I am very proud of all that our students accomplish and honored to work with them,” Fulgham said. “It’s nice to have an organization like PTK that lets students apply their academic skills and unique talents to contribute to society.”
With the four students recognized in 2026, Alpha Mu Chi members have earned 39 Texas STAR Scholarships throughout the chapter’s history. Members may also compete for national awards and transfer scholarships while developing valuable skills through research, service, and leadership.
The stories of Alicia Cantrell and Sky Bass represent two generations of Mount Vernon students who found opportunities through NTCC and Alpha Mu Chi. Cantrell’s journey shows where those opportunities can lead, while Bass’s leadership demonstrates that another generation is ready to carry the work forward.
Alpha Mu Chi meets weekly during the semester. Participation is optional, and eligible students are encouraged to learn more about scholarships, university transfers, research, community service, and leadership opportunities.
Additional information is available on our NTCC Alpha Mu Chi webpage and on the national Phi Theta Kappa website. Students may also contact Alpha Mu Chi lead adviser Dr. Melissa Fulgham at mfulgham@ntcc.edu.
