Pasco-Hernando State College College's Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society chapter has achieved something extraordinary, earning not one, but two Hallmark Awards at the international PTK level. Hallmark Awards are among the most prestigious honors in the PTK world, recognizing chapters and student-led projects that demonstrate exceptional scholarship, leadership, service, and fellowship. PTK is the world's largest collegiate honor society. Competing against chapters from institutions across the globe, PHSC rose to the very top – a profound recognition of the students, advisors, and culture that PHSC has built.
The Distinguished Chapter Hallmark Award recognizes PHSC's PTK chapter as one of the top Phi Theta Kappa chapters in the entire world. This honor was built through vision, determination, and an extraordinary resurgence led by the former Chapter President Kaylee Smith.
Under Kaylee's leadership, the chapter was reinvigorated from the ground up. She set a new standard for what membership in PHSC's PTK could mean, inspiring students to engage more deeply with PTK’s mission of scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship.
Adding to that momentum was Jessica "Kirby" Boatman, a transfer student who arrived with fresh energy and a drive to build on everything Kaylee had set in motion. Kirby exemplified exactly the kind of student PTK was designed to celebrate – talented, motivated, and committed to making a meaningful difference. Together, they helped elevate the chapter to a level that earned international recognition.
“What truly shaped my direction at PHSC was Phi Theta Kappa. As the former college wide president, I had the privilege of rebuilding and strengthening a once abandoned society, turning it back into a space where leadership, scholarship, service, and fellowship were not just hallmarks, but lived experiences. The hallmarks of Phi Theta Kappa are not just words I leave behind today; they are values I carry forward into every space I enter,” said Kaylee Smith, former PTK Collegewide President.
“Being a part of Phi Theta Kappa is an opportunity and a responsibility that I hold close to my heart. My involvement in PTK has taught me that what we can carry out alone is minimal compared to the things we can conduct together and I am looking forward to this upcoming school year!.” said Kirby Boatman, PTK current collegewide President 2026-2027
The second Hallmark Award, the Distinguished College Project, belongs to the Bobcat Banter, a student-driven video podcast born from the vision of former PTK member Emmalise Feliciano. The Distinguished College Project award recognized initiatives that made a meaningful, lasting impact on the college community, and the Bobcat Banter delivered exactly that.
What began as a bold idea became a fully realized production: a video podcast series featuring conversations that connect students, faculty, and the broader PHSC community. With professional studio recordings and real on-camera interviews, the Bobcat Banter gave PHSC a new kind of voice, built by students, for students.
Emmalise led the vision alongside former fellow team members Tyson Branstetter and Eli Ferreira, with guidance from instructor Jon Tietz, turning a concept into a recognized campus institution that PTK leadership at the international level took notice of.
“Bobcat Banter has become more than just a podcast, it is a platform that celebrates the voices, achievements, and experiences of our college community,” said Emmalise Felliciano, former Host of the Bobcat Banter. Each episode reminded listeners that success comes in many forms and that every Bobcat has a story worth sharing.
Earning two Hallmark Awards in the same cycle placed PHSC among a select group of institutions recognized for PTK excellence on the international stage. These awards reflected the college's commitment to student success, the strength of faculty advising, and most of all, the extraordinary students who chose PHSC and gave their absolute best while there. For the students who made this possible, these awards are more than recognition. They are proof that the work they put in, the meetings, the projects, and the belief that their efforts mattered, was worth it.