First NTHS Induction Ceremony a big success for Ontario campus

Over 125 students and their families and friends joined SJVC staff and faculty to induct 38 Ontario campus students into the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) on April 2nd. This 30-year-old national organization has more than 760,000 members from all walks of business and industry.

Student inductees were from the campus’s Medical Assisting, Medical Office Administration, Pharmacy Technology and Criminal Justice: Corrections programs. Applicants had to meet specific NTHS criteria for membership, including 3.0 or higher GPA, good attendance, positive attitude and community service.

“The ceremony meant a lot to me because I have been out of school for over 20 years, and to be able to come back and accomplish this on my own made me so proud of myself,” says Denise Mortensen, Medical Office Administration student.

Eight candles are lit to emphasize the primary tenants of the Honor Society pledge: Knowledge, Skill, Honesty, Service, Responsibility, Scholarship, Citizenship and Leadership.

“After this experience, I feel I can accomplish so much more than what I used to give myself credit for,” says Jacquelin Alvarez, Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting (CAMA) student. “This is the next step in my academic future.”

The ceremony protocol included reading the goals and purpose of NTHS, as well as the significance of the emblem and its colors. A poignant part of the ceremony was a team-spirited, candle-lighting segment where each inductee lit the candle of the person next to them, all the way down the line.

“They were super excited to do each other’s candle, and the pledge made it official that they were members,” says Yvette Savala, Medical Assisting instructor and NTHS Advisor. “Families were watching, and we had a lot of moms crying. It was very touching.”

“It felt like an amazing achievement to be up in front of family and friends while presenting my speech for NTHS,” says Alissa Michelle Hamilton, CAMA student.

Lifetime membership in NTHS is only $25 and can benefit members in many ways. “Members are able to get letters of recommendation from the Honor Society and apply for scholarships,” says Yvette. “Many graduates have told me that it was their NTHS membership that stood out on their resume and helped them to get hired.”

At the close of the ceremony, the students repeat the NTHS pledge and blow out their candles, sanctifying their membership. Those newly inducted members are:

Ashley Kelley, Julia Leal, Diana Manjarres, Jasmin Medina, Adeline Mejia, Denise Mortensen, Guadalupe Ochoa, Angelica Ruia, Guadalupe Ruiz, Elizabeth Sandoval, Sangha Jugmanpreet, Victoria Tarazon, Andrea Terriquez, Lida Valles, Graciela Gutierrez, Christopher Yeargin, Nancy Aguilar, Victoria Aivazian, Jennefer Gonzalez, Jacquelin Alvarez, Anthony Anderson, Brenda Bustillos, Christy Leonor Castrence, Katerina Chavez, Brianna Cornejo, Shelby Davis (President), Angelica Flores, Alissa Hamilton, Marcela Hernandez, Chari Johnson, Ismael Soto, Jordan Ferman, Sandra Gutierrez, Angelica Ruiz, Kendal McDuffie, Michelle Osorio, Brenda Rutland, Christina Trebizo, Cassandra Vallejo