MESA, Arizona – February 26, 2016 – Mesa Community College (MCC), Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) and Scottsdale Community College (SCC) will honor nine high-achieving students who have been named to the All-Arizona Academic Team during an awards luncheon on March 3. Seventy-five community college scholars from across the state will participate in the ceremony, which celebrates their outstanding academic achievements and distinguished leadership skills.

Judging to select the recipients consisted of three rounds. In the first round, a group of local business, civic, education and government leaders reviewed applications and chose the recipients of the award. Only two are selected from each college campus. The selected recipients’ applications were then forwarded to Washington, D.C., for second and third rounds of judging and scoring by representatives from various federal agencies and national education associations. Those scores were used to rank the students for first, second or third state teams. First Team members receive a $1,000 scholarship, Second Team members a $750 scholarship, and Third Team members a $500 scholarship to one of Arizona’s state universities.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College

CGCC Pecos Campus

Alexis Power (Second Team)

Tristan Garcia (Third Team)

After earning a bachelor’s and master’s in civil engineering, Power would like to spend time working in countries who do not have a solid infrastructure and pursue project management. Garcia plans to earn her juris doctorate and become an attorney serving a wide diversity of individuals/populations.

CGCC Williams Campus

Jared Brimhall (Third Team)

Brimhall plans to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from ASU and go on to become a nurse anesthetist. He also wants to provide nursing and anesthesia care as a medical missionary.

Mesa Community College

Southern & Dobson Campus

Stickney plans to become a recreation activities director who initiates and mobilizes communities to use recreational activities for social growth and development. West plans to pursue a master’s in college student personnel administration so he may qualify for a career in higher education as a director of student life and leadership.

Red Mountain Campus

Sorenson aims to complete medical school at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine with a specialization in neurosurgery. Barger will pursue a career as a civil engineer specializing in water systems, transportation, or power sustainability to create public works to positively impact the community in a meaningful and significant way.

Scottsdale Community College

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree, Mayon plans to pursue teaching opportunities through the Teach For America program, preparing her to then go on to earn her Juris Doctor in a discipline influenced by her study of Public Policy, Sustainability and Education. Koop plans to earn a doctorate in neural engineering, go into research in that field and to open his own prosthesis center.

The guest speaker at the March 3 ceremony will be Jillian Curtis Claridge, a 2010 All-Arizona First Team member and All-USA recipient. A graduate of Eastern Arizona College and Northern Arizona University, Claridge was selected twice to be part of the Mainpat Multidisciplinary Global Learning Project of NAU’s College of Health and Human Services in the Tibetan refugee camps in Mainpat, India.

Twenty students will be named to the All-USA Community College Academic Team from the state first teams. All-USA Team members are the nation’s top community college students. They will be featured in a spring global edition of USA TODAY and each receive a $2,500 stipend, medallion, obelisk and certificate. These recognitions are presented to students at a ceremony at the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) Annual Convention.

In addition, the Coca-Cola Foundation, along with the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, recognizes the New Century Scholars. Fifty students will be named Gold Scholars, receiving $1,500; 50 students will be named Silver Scholars, receiving $1,250; and 50 students will be named Bronze Scholars, receiving $1,000. A state may have multiple Gold, Silver and Bronze Scholars. All scholars also receive special medallions. The top scoring student in each of the 50 states will be named a New Century Scholar and will receive a $2,000 stipend. New Century Scholars will also be recognized at the AACC Convention.

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All-Arizona Team member photos are available by calling a contact listed below.

Contacts
MCC & CGCC: Dawn Zimmer, 480-461-7892, dawn.zimmer@mesacc.edu
SCC: Jonathan Higuera 480-425-6637, jonathan.higuera@scottsdalecc.edu

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, headquartered in Jackson, is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 1,285 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.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College is one of ten Maricopa County Community Colleges, the largest community college system in the country. CGCC serves the higher education needs of more than 19,000 students at four locations in the Southeast Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area -- the Pecos Campus in Chandler, the Williams Campus in Mesa, the Sun Lakes Center in Sun Lakes and the Communiversity in Queen Creek. CGCC offers degrees and certificates in a variety of fields, university transfer, workforce development programs, and continuing education, along with nationally recognized programs in service learning, learning communities, and civic engagement. For more information, visit cgc.edu or call 480-732-7000.

Mesa Community College is nationally recognized for its service-learning, civic engagement and innovative educational programs, which include university transfer, career and technical, workforce development, and lifelong learning. Host to nearly 40,000 students annually, MCC offers more than 195 degrees and certificate programs at its two campuses and additional locations. MCC’s student body hails predominantly from the East Valley of Phoenix and includes Veteran, American Indian and International students who enrich the learning experience. Award-winning faculty are dedicated to student success providing the education and training that empowers MCC students to compete locally and globally. MCC is one of 10 colleges that comprise the Maricopa County Community College District. The District also includes the Maricopa Corporate College and two skill centers. For additional information, visit mesacc.edu.

Scottsdale Community College is a learner-centered college recognized for high quality, accessible educational opportunities, and for innovation in teaching, learning and support services. A vital community partner, SCC collaborates with the diverse communities that we serve. Students can earn transfer credits to a university or four-year college and they can choose from more than 100 academic degree programs and certificates of completion. Whether you are pursuing advanced higher education goals, knowledge and opportunities to improve your professional prospects or a life-long learner seeking stimulating pursuits, SCC has something for you. For more information, visit scottsdalecc.edu

The Maricopa Community College system includes 10 colleges – Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Glendale, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Rio Salado, Scottsdale and South Mountain. It also includes the Maricopa Skill Center, Southwest Skill Center, Maricopa Corporate College and several satellite campuses and business/industry, technical and customized training institutes. Additional information is available at maricopa.edu.

Mesa Community College, Scottsdale Community College and Chandler-Gilbert Community College are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) http://www.ncahlc.org, 800-621-7440.

The Maricopa County Community College District is an EEO/AA institution and an
equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.