KINGSVILLE (August 19, 2022) — The Chi Upsilon Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education (KDP) at Texas A&M University-Kingsville received four awards from the national organization this month.
The group received the Chapter Programming Award for Professional Development for their Professional Learning Series and the Collegiate Celebration of Teaching Award. Dr. Monica Wong-Ratcliff, professor in the teacher and bilingual education department, was named the 2022 Regional Chapter Counselor of the Year while, Juana Villanueva, student president of the Chi Upsilon chapter, was named one of the year’s Distinguished Chapter Officers.
“The Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education is one of the oldest and most prestigious societies in the field of education. This is a great honor for Texas A&M University-Kingsville,” said Dr. Nester Sherman, Regents Professor and interim dean of the College of Education and Human Performance. “These honors demonstrate the commitment of both the education students and the faculty of Texas A&M University-Kingsville as they strive for academic excellence.”
“This was the first time we applied for national awards. We submitted four applications and were very fortunate to receive awards in all four categories,” said Wong-Ratcliff. “I am humbled by this honor.”
The Chi Upsilon Chapter of KDP was installed at Texas A&M-Kingsville December 16, 1996. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the officers, members, and the chapter counselors teamed up to organize different events for the 2021-22 academic year.
In addition, the Chi Upsilon Chapter was honored at the Texas A&M-Kingsville Student Leadership Award Ceremony in April. They won three awards and was the student organization that won the most awards for the evening. They received Campus Activities Board Program of the Year (Professional Learning Series), Outstanding Academic Achievement and Outstanding Student Organization Advisor for Wong-Ratcliff, who has received the award three times since she took over as the chapter counselor/faculty advisor in 2014.
KDP is the champion for future and new teachers from campus to classroom. They deliver guidance and solutions to the particular issues facing teachers across the United States, while maintaining a global perspective.
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