Jackson, MS – Fifty-one community college students from the United States, Canada and Guam have been named 2012 New Century Scholars – receiving over $100,000 in scholarships.The New Century Scholars Program is sponsored by Coca-Cola Refreshments, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Phi Theta Kappa, and the American Association of Community Colleges.
The New Century Scholars program and All-USA Community College Academic Team, which is presented by USA TODAY and Phi Theta Kappa and sponsored by Follett Higher Education Group, share a common application and together recognize outstanding community college students. More than 1,720 students were nominated from more than 860 community colleges for recognition. Judges consider grades, leadership, activities and most importantly, how students extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom.
New Century Scholars are the highest scoring students in each state, plus one student from Canada and one additional student chosen from among one of the remaining seven sovereign nations where Phi Theta Kappa is represented internationally. Each scholar will receive a $2,000 scholarship and plaque, and will be recognized in the April 23, 2012 edition of USA TODAY.
“We appreciate the support of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and Coca-Cola Refreshments to recognize the academic achievement and leadership accomplishments of these outstanding community college students,” said Phi Theta Kappa’s Executive Director, Dr. Rod Risley. “These scholarships provided by organizations like Coca-Cola make the goal of college completion possible – especially during these challenging economic times.”
The 2012 New Century Scholars are:
Alabama – Billy Joe Ammons, Jr., Lurleen B. Wallace Community College
Alaska – Mackenzie Merrill, Matanuska-Susitna College
Arizona – Adam M. James, Pima Community College
Arkansas – Kris Hollingsworth, North Arkansas College
California – Amy Bartel, Mt. San Jacinto College
Colorado – Valerie Machovec, Arapahoe Community College
Connecticut – Carlos V. Julca, Norwalk Community College
Delaware – Natallia Kramarava, Delaware Technical and Community College
Florida – Alistair Glover, St. Petersburg College
Georgia – Byron Simmons, Atlanta Metropolitan College
Hawaii – Thuy Vy Thi Luu, Kapi`olani Community College
Idaho – David Teuscher, College of Southern Idaho
Illinois – Regina Therese D’Amico, McHenry County College
Indiana – Brent Kleinhenz, Ivy Tech Community College
Iowa – Brandon Pals, Marshalltown Community College
Kansas – Dustin Aherin, Allen County Community College
Kentucky – Mike Moore, Somerset Community College
Louisiana – Marketa Janousova, Delgado Community College
Maine – Morgan J. Talty, Eastern Maine Community College
Maryland – Tia L. Holmes, Prince George’s Community College
Massachusetts – Mark Valentine, Middlesex Community College
Michigan – Leah Marie Esslinger, Schoolcraft College
Minnesota – Bradley T. Conley, Minneapolis Community and Technical College
Mississippi – Kimberly Madison Kolpek, Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Missouri – Emmanuel Kamguia Kamgaing, Crowder College
Montana – Stephen Wurz, Montana State University, College of Technology
Nebraska – Candyce L. Hemmer, Southeast Community College
Nevada – Matthew Stolz, Deep Springs College
New Hampshire – Charlotte Donna McIntyre, River Valley Community College
New Jersey – Carla Berenice Alvarez-Valverde, Essex County College
New Mexico – Shannon Kay Krause, Luna Community College
New York – Todd A. Stevens, Erie Community College
North Carolina – Connie E. Buterbaugh, Guilford Technical Community College
North Dakota- Tyler Jon Loll, North Dakota State College of Science
Ohio – Ellyn Schmiesing, James A. Rhodes State College
Oklahoma – Austin Brooke Christopher, Carl Albert State College
Oregon – Britney Meza-Turner, Treasure Valley Community College
Pennsylvania – Nichole Whitney Philipp, Delaware County Community College
Rhode Island – Lauren Macbeth, Community College of Rhode Island
South Carolina – Sheldon J. Sumpter, Midlands Technical College
Tennessee – Brittany Thomas, Northeast State Community College
Texas – Clinton D. Pruitt, Tyler Junior College
Utah – Christopher F. Thompson, Salt Lake Community College
Virginia – Heather Kirkpatrick, Northern Virginia Community College
Washington – Victoria Spring Albritton, North Seattle Community College
West Virginia – Joanna M. Post, New River Community and Technical College
Wisconsin – Port V. Lor, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Wyoming – Taesub Kim, Sheridan College
Canada – Rachel Cash, Medicine Hat College
Guam – Jacob Kanrad Fathal, Guam Community College
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, headquartered in Jackson, is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 1,280 chapters on two-year and community college campuses in all 50 of the United States, Canada, Germany, Peru, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the British Virgin Islands, the United Arab Emirates and U.S. territorial possessions. More than 2.5 million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918, with approximately 135,000 students inducted annually.