October 26, 2008
By Laura Collins: The Herald-Sun

DURHAM -- They're not just smart.

Members of Gamma Beta Phi, an academic honors group, met Saturday at Durham Technical Community College for the weekend-long convention.

The students, who are from various colleges in North Carolina and Virginia, said their organization is about much more than just academics. To be a member, students must have a 3.5 grade-point average and maintain a 3.2 average, but students also do a lot of community service.

Sharon Hall, president of the Durham Tech chapter of Gamma Beta Phi said service is a big part of the criteria. Several of their projects include book drives, blood drives, and working with the Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity.

With the busy schedules of college students, to excel in the classroom and in the community, students say it comes down to prioritization.

Kashana Leo, a member of the Durham Tech chapter, balances work and school. "It's a lot of hard work and dedication. I work full time, and I go to school full time. So for me, it's just about staying focused," she said.

Wesley Springs, a member of the chapter at Nash Community College, said membership involves looking at the bigger picture. "I think it's about shifting your focus," he said. "A lot of students just focus on what's going on in their classrooms. They don't realize that you actually can make a difference in your community while you still are in college."

Though some students occasionally face peer ridicule for excelling in school, students Saturday said it hasn't really been an issue in college.

"The people that I'm around, I've never really felt any pressure," he said. "Actually we promote some of Gamma community service projects to people that aren't in Gamma. Just because you don't have the highest GPA doesn't mean you can't do community service."