Twenty of the Nation’s Top Community College Students Named to 2021 All-USA Academic Team

March 5, 2021

All-USA logoTwenty of the nation’s top college students have been named to the 2021 All-USA Academic Team and will each receive a $5,000 scholarship.

The All-USA program is widely recognized as the most prestigious academic honor for students seeking an associate degree or credential. Students were selected for their intellectual rigor, academic achievement, leadership, and civic growth, and for extending their educational experiences to better themselves, their colleges, and their surrounding communities. These students were nominated by their colleges for the scholarship program.

Cengage logoThe 2021 All-USA Academic Team is sponsored by Cengage, with additional support from Phi Theta Kappa and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). In addition to the scholarship, Team members receive a special medallion, and their college presidents receive a commemorative obelisk in recognition of their leadership. The All-USA Academic Team will be officially introduced and recognized during AACC’s annual convention, to be held virtually on May 13.

“More than 80,000 community college students completed an associate degree with grade point averages that were near perfect and could have been considered for this award,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. “Each scholar was nominated by their college before undergoing a rigorous judging process conducted by a national panel.

“The All-USA Academic team represents the very best students from that process. We are proud of their outstanding work both in the classroom and in their communities, and we thank Cengage for recognizing these student leaders and for investing in their futures.”

The members of the 2021 All-USA Academic Team are:

Geri Bakushi
Cuyahoga Community College
Ohio

Yasmeen Berry
Henry Ford College
Michigan

Savannah Berryman
Northwest Shoals Community College
Alabama

Monica Bliss
Berkshire Community College
Massachusetts

Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez
Richland College
Texas

Bernard Harrigan
Palm Beach State College
Florida

Preston Hong
Saddleback College
California

Kerry Katz
Community College of Allegheny County
Pennsylvania

Bagul Mammedova
Jamestown Community College
New York

Yozgyul Mustafova
Harry S. Truman College
Illinois

Yasaman Nassab
Irvine Valley College
California

Mary Nguyen
Lone Star College
Texas

Bianca Isabelle Osma
Passaic County Community College
New Jersey

Jared Smith
West Virginia University at Parkersburg
West Virginia

Samiha Syed
College of DuPage
Illinois

Erin Tan
Mt. San Antonio College
California

Kari Warne
Yavapai College
Arizona

Angela White
Pima Community College
Arizona

Jacquelyn White
Johnson County Community College
Kansas

Dahyun Yoo
Bergen Community College
New Jersey

“Community college students have been most-impacted by the pandemic as many had to forgo or delay their education because of financial or other challenges,” said Fernando Bleichmar, Executive Vice President and General Manager for U.S. Higher Education at Cengage, an education technology company that provides course materials to millions of college students each year. Its industry-leading subscription for textbooks and course materials, Cengage Unlimited, has helped community college students save nearly $90 million on course materials since August 2018.

“Community colleges have a critical role in reskilling the millions of unemployed Americans and opening up opportunity for those who have the most to gain from post-secondary education,” Bleichmar said. “We’re honored to help these incredible community college students further their education by supporting the All-USA scholarship.”

Learn more about the All-USA Academic Team Scholarship Program.

About Cengage
Cengage, an education technology company serving millions of learners in 165 countries, advances the way students learn through quality, digital experiences. We serve the K-12, higher education, professional, library, English language teaching, and workforce training markets worldwide.  We believe that through the power and joy of learning, students can enrich their lives and achieve their dreams — no matter their age, experience, abilities, or environment. Our industry-leading products and services make education more accessible and affordable, including Cengage Unlimited, the first-of-its-kind all-access digital subscription service. Visit us at cengage.com or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

About the American Association of Community Colleges
The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is the primary advocacy organization for the nation’s community colleges. The association represents more than 1,100 two-year, associate degree-granting institutions and more than 12 million students.

About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 nations. Learn more at ptk.org.

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