Lenoir Community College graduate and Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society member Samer Youssef was chosen to publish his short story, Between A Certain Schism, in Nota Bene, Phi Theta Kappa's literary anthology.
Youssef is the second prestigious Nota Bene award winner from Lenoir Community College and the only community college selected from North Carolina. More than 1,600 literary works including poems, essays, drama, and short stories were submitted for consideration in the 2006 edition of the anthology, but only 17 were chosen.
Youssef transferred to North Carolina State University after attending LCC and East Carolina University for a semester. Although he said he hasn't decided what he will study, he said he has an interest in medicine or biological research with a concentration in genetics.
"Lenoir Community College was the best opportunity in my educational career," he said. "It cultivates such an intellectual atmosphere. While I am excited about being published, I am more excited about the prestige the Nota Bene award brings to LCC, two years in a row. It brings more recognition to a chapter that is a leader in the community college system and the Phi Theta Kappa organization."
Nota Bene, Latin for "note well," is Phi Theta Kappa's honors anthology. It recognizes outstanding writing of Phi Theta Kappa members and demonstrates to the literary public the academic excellence and commitment to scholarship found at two-year colleges.
The first issue of Nota Bene was publish in 1994; it has been published annually every since. Copies are distributed at all two-year institutions and college presidents, and are available to the public in college libraries.
This is the second year that the Omicron Rho chapter of Phil Theta Kappa has worked with the college Honors Program and Nota Bene. LCC Honors Program Coordinator Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. Kim Turnage collected literary work by members of the LCC chapter and submitted them for consideration.
"We are so proud of Samer," said Phi Theta Kappa Adviser Carolyn Crossland. "His work reflects not only his talent, but his hard work and the quality instruction at Lenoir Community College."
Only Phil Theta Kappa members may submit manuscripts, and manuscripts should be submitted while a member is enrolled in an associate degree program.

Pictured left to right are Lenoir Community College Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. Kim Turnage, Samer Youssef, LCC President Dr. Brantley Briley, LCC Phi Theta Kappa Adviser Carolyn Crossland.