NPC honor society studies prostheses
National Park College’s Alpha Beta Psi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honors society recently hosted a program for its annual Honors in Action project.
Malone Galster and Kelly Davis served as the keynote speakers for the program, “People, Pictures, Prostheses: The Possibilities.” Galster is the CPO resident for New Hope Prosthetic and Orthotic of Hot Springs and presented “The Evolution and Function of Prosthetics.” Davis, from Hanger of Little Rock, shared information about Insignia, a 3-D scanner that uses laser imaging to fit patients for prosthetic limbs. Special guests Mike Galster, Carol Dixon and Ben Scarbrough shared their experiences as prostheses patients.
The Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming. It is now the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 1.3 million members and 1,200 chapters located in the United States, U.S. territories, Canada, Germany, the British Virgin Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and the United Arab Emirates.
The goal of the Alpha Beta Psi Chapter’s project is to bring community awareness to the evolution of engineered, life-enhancing products. The society’s programs promote four hallmarks of scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship.
“The project is intended to raise awareness of prostheses and how they have evolved over the years, as well as how they have changed people’s lives in our community,” said PTK President Howard Cheresnick.
This year’s study topic is “How the World Works: Global Perspectives.” Students in the chapter chose the theme of “Natural and Engineered.” After discussion, officers and members narrowed it down to the study of prostheses and how they have evolved over the years, as well as how they have changed people’s lives in our community.
PTK students who worked on the event included Cheresnick, Melissa Krafft, Cheyenne Walker, Kaylin Murphy, Jeffrey Golden, Felicia Beasley, Michelle Godwin, Steven Barber, Paige Baxter, Laura Alonso-Lopez, Terri Bland, Joeli Bradley, and faculty advisers Nannette Crane-Post, Rebekah Robinette and Samantha Christian. William Polk, executive director of the NPC Innovative Technologies Center, displayed prosthetic hands created with 3-D printing technology.