Baton Rouge, La. - The Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) recently announced the 2018 Phi Theta Kappa Louisiana All-Academic Team. Twenty-two high-achieving two-year college students from across the state were recognized for their academic and civic accomplishments during an awards ceremony last week in Baton Rouge.
The All-Academic Team recognizes high academic achievement and provides opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors courses, leadership, service and fellowship programming. Keynote speaker and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) President and CEO Lynn Tincher-Ladner encouraged the honorees to continue their education as a way to improve personal and career growth and earnings.
Two PTK New Century Scholarships were also announced. The New Century Transfer Pathway Scholarship recognizes the top transfer-bound student in each state and the New Century Workforce Pathway Scholarship recognizes the top workforce-bound student in each state. These programs recognize 100 scholars each year with scholarships ranging from $1,250 to $2,250. Each New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar receives special recognition at the Association of Community College Trustees Congress. The New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar receives special recognition at the Phi Theta Kappa Presidents Breakfast held during the American Association of Community Colleges Convention.
| New Century Transfer Scholar |
Ariel Alonso, Delgado Community College, City Park Campus, $2,250 scholarship |
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| New Century Workforce Scholar |
Timothy Owen Masterson II, Nunez Community College, Chalmette Campus, $1,250 scholarship |
Also in attendance were LCTCS Board of Supervisors Chair, Tim Hardy; Commissioner of Higher of Education, Dr. Joseph Rallo; and President and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (LAICU), Dr. Stanton F. McNeely III.
Nationally, 73% of Phi Theta Kappa graduates transfer to four-year universities. Last year, more than 15,000 LCTCS graduates transferred to four-year colleges and universities nationwide. In recent years, the LCTCS has worked with four-year university partners across the State to established transfer scholarships for PTK members who graduate from LCTCS colleges. Today, Phi Theta Kappa graduates from LCTCS colleges have the opportunity to earn transfer scholarships to LSU, Southern University, Northwestern State University, the University of New Orleans, Xavier University and Dillard University. Several four-year universities sent recruiters to last week's event, including the University of New Orleans, Northwestern State University, and Louisiana State University.
"Each year we recognize outstanding community and technical college students for their excellence in academic achievement," said Monty Sullivan, president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. "These students represent some of the best at their respective institutions and arguably the state, and we congratulate and encourage each of them to continue on in their journey with the same commitment to excellence that we honored them for last week. We are proud of their accomplishments and wish them all the best in their future scholastic endeavors."
Members of the All-Academic Team now become eligible for the All-USA Community College Academic Team, sponsored by the American Association of Community Colleges.
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Listed alphabetically by college is the 2018 Phi Theta Kappa, Louisiana All-Academic Team: |
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Sayou Ketcha, Baton Rouge Community College |
Magan Sepulvado, Northwest Louisiana Technical College |
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Aya Babikir, Bossier Parish Community College |
Timothy Owen Masterson II, Nunez Community College |
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Tiffani Hall, Bossier Parish Community College |
Melissa Methvin, Nunez Community College |
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Clifton Duplessis, Central Louisiana Technical Community College |
Ariel Troxclair, Nunez Community College |
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Ariel Alonso, Delgado Community College |
Laurie Martin, River Parishes Community College |
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Rebecca Dummet, Delgado Community College |
Tenda Caldwell, South Central Louisiana Technical College |
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Arron Boudreaux, Fletcher Technical Community College |
Jay-Ann Foote, South Central Louisiana Technical College |
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Mary Humphries, Louisiana Delta Community College |
Cindy Michel, South Central Louisiana Technical College |
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Terry Rogers, Louisiana Delta Community College |
Rajan Dhanani, South Louisiana Community College |
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Adelynn Whittington, Northshore Technical Community College |
Erika Henry, South Louisiana Community College |
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Kaylee Bryant, Northwest Louisiana Technical College |
Jacqueline Limbrick, SOWELA Technical Community College |
About Phi Theta Kappa:
The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa is to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership, service and fellowship programming. The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society began in 1918 at Stephens College in Missouri. Today, Phi Theta Kappa is more than 3 million members strong, with 1,300 chapters in 9 nations. The organization offers approximately $90 million in scholarship opportunities for members. Approximately 91% of Phi Theta Kappa members complete their associate degrees and/or transfer to a four-year college or university, compared to 38% of community college students nationally.
About Louisiana's community and technical colleges:
Last year, Louisiana's community and technical colleges served and provided instruction to over 131,000 students, transferred over 15,000 students to four-year institutions across the country, and graduated 28,853 students - the largest graduating class in the system's history. Our colleges have earned a national reputation as colleges of excellence and as shining examples of efficiency and productivity. In 2016, Lumina Foundation, one of the nation's most respected educational and philanthropic organizations commissioned that Louisiana has the highest percentage in the nation of working age adults who hold a high-quality post-secondary certificate and that the state's overall degree attainment rate improved from 48th to 26th in the nation.
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