2007-2008 International Officers Enter Baccalaureate Programs
Phi Theta Kappa's 2007-2008 International Officers are moving on to new
chapters in their educational journeys. All will enter four-year colleges
and universities in the fall to seek baccalaureate degrees.
"Congratulations
to this International Officer Team," said Phi Theta Kappa Executive Director
Rod Risley. "Every one of them faced unique challenges in their desire for
higher education, and they share experiences that are very typical of today's
community college students. Casey was homeschooled, Connie is a returning
adult student, Dee is a first-generation college student, and Mahmedein
and Bek have international origins - Mahmedein came with his family from
Darfur, and Bek was an exchange student from Uzbekistan."
"Their
drive and determination, their commitment to education and the support
they received from their community colleges, have translated into incredible
success stories," Risley continued. "Phi Theta Kappa and the community
college arena are very proud to claim this outstanding group."
Past
International President Casey Maliszewski will attend Mount Holyoke
College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, on a near-full scholarship and
aid package. She will major in Sociology and expects to graduate in 2010.
Maliszewski,
a graduate of Raritan Valley Community College in New Jersey, also received
scholarship offers from Rutgers University, the University of Maryland
and Columbia University.
She is interning this summer with
U.S. Representative Rush Holt in his District Office in New Jersey, and
wants to work as an intern in Washington, D.C., in 2009.
Maliszewski
plans to attend law school following graduation from Mount Holyoke.
Connie
Myers, 2007-2008 International Vice President - Division I, will attend
Texas A&M University - Commerce on a near-full scholarship. She is enrolled
in the college's online bachelor of applied arts and science degree program,
allowing her to remain in Ohio. Myers is a graduate of Columbus State Community
College. Her major is Applied Science.
Myers recently was a
panelist
for various
discussions on higher education in Ohio. Myers has also been interviewed
by other
media in her role as a community college advocate.
After
receiving her baccalaureate degree, Myers plans to study for a master's
degree in Communications and Marketing.
Deeneaus "Dee" Polk,
former International Vice President-Division II, received a Croft Scholarship
to the University of Mississippi, where he will major in International
Studies and German.
Polk graduated from Mississippi Gulf Coast
Community College, Jackson County Campus.
Polk is a 2008 Jack
Kent Cooke Foundation Scholar, and was chosen a 2008 Fellow for
the International Institute for Public Policy.
Polk plans
a career in international law and the diplomatic corps.
Mahmedein
Mahmedein, former International Vice President for Division
III, was the commencement speaker for his graduating class at St. Louis
Community College.
He is heading for Washington University
in St. Louis, and will dually enroll in the bachelor of science/master of
arts programs in Global Leadership and Management/Human Resource Management.
He will complete the program in 2011.
Mahmedein was offered
scholarships to the University of Missouri In Saint Louis and to Johns Hopkins
University in Maryland.
Ulugbek "Bek" Baymuradov will attend
Stanford University in California.
He is a Jack
Kent Cooke Scholar, majoring in Economics and Political Science.
He will be involved in Stanford's Honors Program in Economics.
Before
entering Stanford, Baymuradov plans a visit to his family in his native
Uzbekistan. Baymuradov served as Phi Theta Kappa's International Vice
President - Division IV while a student at Treasure Valley Community College
in Oregon.
