McHenry County College’s Chi Upsilon chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society has earned recognition for its achievements in 2025, receiving both the Outstanding College Project Award and the Outstanding Honors in Action Project Award at the regional level. The chapter also won the Distinguished College Project Award and Distinguished Chapter Award at the international level. More than 500 chapters submit College Project and Honors in Action projects annually, with only 50 chapters receiving each award.
For the College Project, chapters partner with college administration to develop initiatives that support the institution’s mission and goals. This year, MCC’s chapter hosted feedback sessions to gather student perspectives on belonging and engagement on campus. For the Honors in Action project, students conducted and presented research on the risks of using artificial intelligence for mental health support and explored alternative resources and approaches to care.
“These projects help students get a grasp on project management styles, teach them how to make both short-term and long-term plans, and show them the value of collaborating as a team,” said Heidi Boring, co-advisor of MCC’s Chi Upsilon chapter. “We are so proud of the work our students accomplished through both projects. Their research on belonging and engagement helped elevate student voices on campus, while their work on AI and mental health continues to spark important conversations and connect people with community resources.”
In addition to the chapter awards, several MCC students and advisors received individual international recognition. Chapter President Taylor Swanson and Secretary Carlos Gallegos were named Distinguished Chapter Officers, an honor awarded to only 20 student leaders worldwide in each category. Co-advisor Christine Grela received the Paragon Award for New Advisors, while co-advisor Heidi Boring was recognized as a Continued Excellence Advisor.
The chapter was further recognized as a Distinguished Chapter, an honor awarded to the top 50 chapters worldwide based on their accomplishments in the College Project and Honors in Action categories. They also earned the prestigious Beta Alpha Continued Excellence Award, which is presented to chapters who have been named a Distinguished Chapter for three consecutive years. Only 13 out of approximately 1,200 chapters worldwide earned this award.
