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Two Central Carolina Technical College Honor Society Students Named to South Carolina Academic Team

Sumter, SC (04/30/2026) — How does one become a leader? By witnessing and modeling the leadership qualities of parents, siblings and community members, no doubt. But a person also grows into a leader when they're encouraged and given opportunities to take charge, help others and create change.

Central Carolina Technical College's Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) chapter, Beta Eta Pi, provides plenty of encouragement and ample leadership opportunities to its 2,119 members and alumni. It's helped adult learners Erica Vance and Christen Borgersrode become stronger leaders and more engaged community members.

Vance, the president of Central Carolina's PTK chapter and a student in the computer technology associate degree program, first heard about the club while attending the 2025 Titan Fest-an on-campus event where students can socialize, enjoy free food and learn about student organizations. She stopped by the PTK booth, where chapter advisor Dr. Kara Clyburn greeted her. Vance said Clyburn's enthusiasm about the club made her want to join.

As for Borgersrode, vice-president of the chapter and a student in the accounting associate degree program, she had heard about the PTK chapter through an email asking her to join. After speaking with Allie Magee, the college's assistant director of student life services, to verify that the club was legit, Borgersrode applied and officially became a member in 2025.

Both Vance and Borgersrode possessed the qualities required for PTK membership, including academic excellence and a commitment to service. Vance said she was a 4.0 GPA student growing up, even being recognized as a Kentucky Governor's Scholar in high school. And Borgersrode said she always "had a heart for helping people," demonstrated by her volunteer work at the Greater New Hope Soup Kitchen in Lancaster, which she's been doing since last year.

This history of academic achievement and service made the two students perfect candidates for the chapter's president and vice-president roles, according to Dr. Kara Clyburn, who selected the students alongside co-advisor, Jennifer Tyree. The students were also elected by their fellow PTK members.

"Both Erica and Christen demonstrate qualities that are essential for effective student leadership, as they are dependable, motivated and proactive in supporting chapter initiatives," said Dr. Clyburn in an email.

As president and vice-president, Vance and Borgersrode focus on engaging students on campus and giving back to local communities. This year alone, the two led the chapter in organizing a donation drive for the Kershaw County Humane Society, for which they collected 72 items to support animals in need. The chapter also participated in the inaugural Sumter Walk for Water event to raise money to provide safe drinking water for communities around the world.

Vance is most proud of organizing a clothing drive for the Titan Attire Program, which provides students with free professional clothing for interviews and career opportunities. She spearheaded the initiative, which collected 118 clothing items, after seeing the program's impact on students firsthand.

"Having spent a long time as a caregiver for a veteran, I recognized how important it is to have the right resources to transition into a professional environment," said Vance. "I've utilized the Titan Attire Closet myself, and seeing the quality of the program made me want to ensure it stays well-stocked for every student who wants to put their best foot forward."

Vance and Borgersrode's accomplishments as chapter leaders and high-achieving students led to their selection for the 2026 PTK South Carolina All-State Academic Team. The All-State Academic Team is a highly selective statewide recognition program that honors two-year college students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, leadership and service.

This year, the program selected just 47 students from 16 two-year colleges across the state, including two students from Central Carolina: Vance and Borgersrode.

Both students were grateful for and honored by the recognition, which culminated in a celebration ceremony held this April at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Vance said the recognition "warmed [her] heart," and Borgersrode called it a "big accomplishment."

The students also demonstrate exceptional leadership and service in their personal endeavors. For example, Borgersrode is working alongside her boss at UPS to start a soup kitchen in Kershaw.

"[We want it] to have a community feel, where you sit down with somebody and eat at a table like your family," she said.

Meanwhile, Vance is a dedicated member of Central Carolina's Student Advisory Board. Her role is to contribute to reports on student concerns and present them to the college president and board of directors for consideration. The president and board routinely implement changes based on these reports, which Vance says is "amazing" to see.

Vance and Borgersrode continue to organize events and initiatives for Central Carolina's PTK chapter, including a recent "Spring Days with PTK" event designed to bring students, faculty and staff together to celebrate the year on the campus's Green Space.

Ultimately, Vance wants to promote PTK and the benefits it offers to students.

"I would really like to get the word out more about PTK, how much support they offer, scholarship opportunities, links to internships," she said. "Being a part of PTK has so many benefits that a lot of people don't know, and educating people on that would be fantastic."

Discover how Central Carolina Technical College nurtures the next generation of leaders and scholars through robust academic programs and celebrated student organizations by visiting our website at www.cctech.edu.

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2026 Phi Theta Kappa All State Academic Team Recipients for CCTC. Two students pictured in front of screen

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