Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)
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Students Honored for Both Academic |
Scholarship was celebrated in Albany last Monday as 60 students were inducted in to the Phi Theta Kappa international honor society for students who excel academically at two-year colleges. Among those recognized at the honor society's 14th annual All-New York Academic Awards was 20-year-old Christine Acevedo, a graduate of Sullivan County Community College. "It is great to have these awards because it honors students who are in a two-year community college, who are working just as hard and are just as serious as a student in a four year-college...We are just as academically competitive and in addition are doing community service," Acevedo said.
In the program for the event, it was noted that Manhattan Community College graduate Morris Sheriff, 25, had been named New York's New Century Scholar. Sheriff was recently featured in an article in USA Today, which reported that in addition to holding a full time job, taking on a full course load and helping to raise his son, he volunteers about 20 hours a month as a childcare provider to war-traumatized African children. The paper identified Sheriff as "a native of war-torn Liberia whose father was killed by rebels and whose brother was abducted." He received political asylum after fleeing to United States in 2003, according to the USA Today article.
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Iterim Chancellor John B. Clark
Sen. James Seward
Dr. Floyd Amann, President Corning Community College |
The 60 students who came from SUNY and City University of New York campuses, were honored by SUNY Interim Chancellor John B. Clark, New York Community College Trustees Association's past President David Mathis and Faculty Council of Community Colleges President Milton Johnson. "Each of you embody leadership and service, "Clark said to the award recipients. " You have not only achieved high academic standing, you have done so while meeting and exceeding life's varied challenges." "As trustees we are dedicated to provide the students at our community colleges the means and opportunity to do their best to excel and be recognized for it, " Mathis said. " Community Colleges can provide unexpected opportunities for success, a place that can bring unforeseen changes and opportunity that might otherwise remain out of reach." Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, was chose as a guest speaker for the event, according to New York Community College Trustees Association Executive Director Cynthia Demarest, because of his long-standing support for public higher education and for having a good number of SUNY community colleges within his district. " No question our community colleges play such an essential role in New York," said Seward. He said they provide students with an affordable alternative to four-year institutions and serve as a gateway for those who want to transfer to a four-year institution. The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa is to recognize and encourage two-year community college students through scholarships, according to Laurie Freedman, Phi Theta Kappa's region coordinator of New York. Members must have a grade point average between 3.25 and 4.0, They also must sustain a high academic standing throughout two-year enrollment. In addition, members must have very strong records of service to the campus or greater community. "We choose the students based on the society's hallmarks of scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship," said Freedman. " The students we selected not only excelled academically, but also did volunteer and community service." Phi Theta Kappa describes itself as the largest honor society in America higher education with more than 1.5 million members and 1,200 chapters located in the United States and U.S. territories. * The legislative Gazette, April 14, 2008 Vol. 31 Number 32 |
