Out of more than 370 submissions nationwide, Austin Community College District (ACC) Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) student, Azucena Enloe, was awarded an honor for excellence in writing.
Azucena submitted a fictional piece she wrote called “What Stays with Us” which explores lost childhood memories and fear. She also submitted a poem titled “All that is Beautiful is Dark and Dreary.”
“Write what you want to write,” says Azucena. “The story I submitted was in the vein of modern gothic horror. Writing is my favorite thing to do, no contest. I write regularly, and I jumped at the chance to submit my writing to a literary collection published by PTK.”
Both pieces will be featured in the 2020 issue of Nota Bene, PTK’s online literary journal.
The competition is judged by current and retired college faculty and staff from across the country. Only 25 student submissions were selected.
“Joining PTK was a great decision for me,” says Azucena. “I'm currently one of the officers in charge of our chapter’s Honors in Action project. It's been a wonderful experience, leading members toward making a meaningful impact on our community. For bonus points, our project this year is related to my field of study, which makes it twice as enjoyable for me.”
Azucena enrolled at ACC in 2016 and earned an associate degree in Business Administration. To continue moving up in her career, she came back to study engineering with the intent to transfer and complete her four-year degree.
“Engineering is somewhat of a family trade. I wasn't pushed toward it, but instead, naturally gravitated to it after realizing that my original field of study didn't fulfill me. I'm particularly interested in jobs geared toward reviewing civil projects in the lens of environmental sustainability.”
Looking for extracurriculars to get involved in and boost her transfer goals, Azucena met with an advisor.
“My academic advisor asked if I received an invitation for PTK since I was eligible. I told her I had been throwing them out. After getting the ‘disappointed-mom’ look from her, she did a wonderful job telling me what the group does.”
Ninety-two percent of PTK members at ACC graduate, transfer, and continue on toward successful careers. The Alpha Gamma Pi chapter of PTK provides activities to connect members with scholarship, service, and leadership development opportunities.
PTK is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations.
View the digital issue on ptk.org this winter. For more information, visit austincc.edu/ptk.