Chartered in 1979. Paused in 2026. Not finished.
Alpha Epsilon Rho is Bellevue College’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. More than 11,000 students have come through it since the charter.
We’re reactivating for 2026–27. Alpha Epsilon Rho is a long‑standing Phi Theta Kappa chapter at Bellevue College (est. 1979). Our advisor’s position was eliminated in budget cuts this summer, and PTK requires an appointed advisor before the chapter can verify membership and formally elect officers. A small team of students is rebuilding the chapter now — recruiting an advisor, mapping out this year’s Honors in Action project, and getting ready to welcome new members. If you’re a Bellevue College faculty or staff member interested in advising, or a student who wants in, we’d love to hear from you.
The honor society for two‑year colleges
Phi Theta Kappa is the first and largest honor society for students attending two‑year colleges: more than 4.3 million members and roughly 1,300 chapters across 11 nations, organized around four hallmarks.
For students the benefits are concrete — a transfer scholarship network spanning more than 800 four‑year institutions, competitive and need‑based Society scholarships, leadership coursework, and research worth putting on a transfer application.
Told plainly, without drama
The chapter’s advisor position was eliminated as part of budget cuts over the summer. Because Phi Theta Kappa requires a college employee to serve as appointed advisor — the advisor certifies member eligibility and acts as the chapter’s liaison to Society headquarters — chapter activation paused when that position went away.
Nothing about the chapter’s standing or its history changed. What changed is that a chapter cannot process new members without an advisor in place. A small group of students has taken on rebuilding it: recruiting an advisor, reassembling the officer team, and restarting the Honors in Action research project for 2026–27.
An earlier chapter website still exists at bellevuecollegeptk.wordpress.com, but its content dates to roughly 2011–2017 and lists an advisor who left the college long ago. This site is a relaunch, not a restoration of that one.
The record
Per the chapter’s page on ptk.org, recent recognition includes the 2026 Distinguished Chapter Officer Award and the 2026 Distinguished College Project Award.
Former chapter leadership has also described a five‑star chapter evaluation and recognition tied to career‑readiness workshops. We list those as reported rather than confirmed until an appointed advisor can verify them through the Society’s dashboard.
- Appoint a Bellevue College faculty or staff advisor — the one thing everything else depends on.
- Complete officer elections under that advisor, following chapter bylaws.
- Open membership invitations to eligible Bellevue College students.
- Select and execute an Honors in Action project for the 2026–27 Honors Study Topic.
- Return the chapter to the Society’s Five Star Chapter Plan track.
How the chapter got here
A chapter this old accumulates a record. Most of it belongs to people who have long since transferred and graduated — which is rather the point of an honor society at a two‑year college.
-
1979
Chartered at Bellevue College
Alpha Epsilon Rho is founded as Bellevue College’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
-
1979–2025
11,076 members and alumni
Students pass through the chapter and transfer out, which is what a two‑year college honor society is for.
-
2026
Two Society awards
The Distinguished Chapter Officer Award and the Distinguished College Project Award, per the chapter’s page on ptk.org.
-
Summer 2026
The advisor position is eliminated
Budget cuts remove the position. Because the Society requires an appointed college employee as advisor, activation pauses.
-
2026–27
Reactivation, in progress
A student team recruits an advisor, rebuilds the officer roster, and restarts the Honors in Action project. You are reading part of that effort.
What they mean in practice
Phi Theta Kappa organises everything around four hallmarks. They are not decoration — the Society’s award criteria are written against them.
Scholarship
Academic achievement is the entry requirement, and the Honors in Action project demands real research rather than a poster board.
Leadership
Officers run the chapter and complete Leadership Development Studies coursework through the Society.
Service
The College Project and Honors in Action action component both require work that benefits the campus or community.
Fellowship
Regional conferences, chapter meetings, and a cohort of students who take their coursework seriously.
Scholarship, in practice
The chapter has no photographs of its own yet, because it has not been active this year. These are stock images of the ordinary work an honor society does — reading, arguing, and eventually transferring. We will replace them with our own once there is a chapter to photograph.
Stock photography. Nobody pictured is an Alpha Epsilon Rho member, and no scene shown is a chapter event.