Eastfield College’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) chapter, Psi Eta, just experienced one of their most successful years after earning multiple awards during the 2026 Texas Regional Conference (TRC) and PTK’s international event, Catalyst.
The Texas Regional Conference is a celebration of the work of PTK chapters around the state of Texas. With more than 90 chapters in the Texas region, the event was filled with excitement as everyone celebrated each other for their hard work.
At TRC, Psi Eta was recognized for their leadership development skills, teamwork and collaborative skills. The chapter was the second finalist for Most Distinguished Chapter, highlighting the incredible growth the chapter had during the academic year.
“This is my first year being part of Phi Theta Kappa,” Campuzano said. “Being able to be part of the officer team, and see our work not only be recognized in the state, but also nationally. It showcases that our team has great chemistry, and shares the commitment to see the chapter succeed.”
The chapter also won the College Project Award of Merit, Honors in Action Award Merit, Distinguished Officer Team, Distinguished Officer, Jaime Campos and Distinguished Chapter Member, Esmeralda “Izzy” Aguinaga.
“I felt this whole trip and going up the stage there is an amazing quote saying, ‘Life must be lived forwards but is only fully understood by looking back,’” Campos said. “We should always keep on moving forward even if we don’t know what we are doing because, when we look back, it all makes sense.”
Other awards the chapter won included second place in Leadership Poster, led by Guillermo Arellano Gonzalez, Jaime Campos and Oscar Cisneros; second place in Digital Yearbook led by Erick Campuzano Fuentes, Ruth Rodriguez and Oscar Cisneros; and second place in Impromptu Speech, Izzy Aginaga.
“I was shocked, and surprised. It was really cool to see the progression of the chapter,” Rodriguez said. “Last year it was only the advisors, but this time we were able to walk the stage three different times. It made our work we put into it worth it”
Some of Psi Eta’s officers, members and advisors were awarded the District II Hall of honors, which includes Izzy Aguinaga, Jaime Campos, Guillermo Arellano Gonzales, Ashmita Bogati, Erick Campuzano Fuentes, Jaqueline Villalobos Torres, Ruth Rodriguez and their advisor, Pebble Barbero. This award recognizes members, officers and advisors who go beyond their duties. Their names will be placed in the hall of honors at Phi Theta Kappa headquarters in Jackson, Mississippi.
Throughout the event, the chapter experienced a mix of excitement, pride and disbelief. Cisneros, the current president of the chapter, was filled with enthusiasm during both events. “I was so happy, especially thinking about how we did last year, compared to this year. For reference, I was an officer last year, VP of finance, [and] we didn’t win anything. Our advisors were the only ones who won at Catalyst. From going from winning nothing to winning so much, I was so happy. And I’m happy that I got to be the president for this year.”
On top of the awards, four Psi Eta members — Ashimita Bogati, Jaqueline Villalobos Torres, Izzy Aguinaga and Olamide Aremu — presented the workshop, “From Rehearsal to Reach: Social Media Strategies for Chapters.” The presentation, in collaboration with Northlake’s PTK chapter, Alpha Zeta Eta, focused on how chapters could increase engagement through social media and widen the communication with students across the college’s community.
The chapter also traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, to attend the yearly Catalyst convention. It’s the biggest annual event for Phi Theta Kappa, where chapters around the country gather in one place to celebrate the accomplishments in the past academic year.
By the end of the event, Psi Eta brought home three awards: Distinguished College Project, Distinguished Honors In Action Project and Distinguished Chapter. Aguinaga was awarded Distinguished Member.
“Joining PTK, I wanted a place to show up, lend a hand, and step out of my comfort zone.” Izzy says, “In TRC, I took a leap of faith and entered the Impromptu speech content. I never expected to place, so taking second was a true honor. Front there the awards just kept coming. We were excited for Catalyst, but no description captured the energy of being there.”
This year has proven that Psi Eta is determined to dream big. The team showed a strong bond that helped them through their College Project, Honors In Action and during general meetings. “Watching Psi Eta win both regionally at TRC and internationally at Catalyst was an incredibly proud and rewarding moment for me as a chapter advisor” Pebble Barbero says, “Winning second finalist Distinguished Chapter at Trc, and one of 36 Distinguished Chapters at Catalyst is a testament to the dedication of this team of student leaders. The joy on their faces was indescribable when Psi Eta was called to walk the stage.”. What was once a chapter still finding its footing is now setting the national standard. And, if this year proved anything, it’s that Psi Eta is just getting started.
