JWCC’s PTK Members Attend 2023 All-Illinois Community College Academic Team Recognition Ceremony
John Wood Community College Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) organization recently attended the All-Illinois Community College Academic Team Recognition Ceremony in Springfield, IL.
Attending the ceremony were JWCC Advisor and English Instructor Jennifer Grindstaff, JWCC Dean of Students and Enrollment Management Tracy Orne with JWCC PTK members Catharine Miller of Pittsfield, IL, who is majoring in Elementary Education and Matthew Kim of Quincy, IL, who is majoring in Kinesiology but was unable to attend the ceremony.
The 2023 All-Illinois Academic Team members were recognized for their distinguished academic achievement and leadership accomplishments. The team members are selected by their institutions to receive this honor and are known by their college administrators and faculty as the very best examples of student success.
Catharine Miller was awarded the 2023 Phi Theta Kappa Guistwhite Scholar and will receive a $5,000 scholarship. Miller’s selection was based on the score she earned in the Guistwhite Scholarship Competition, for which over 2,700 applications were received. Miller was one of only 8 students to be selected for this honor.
In addition, Miller is also a semi-finalist for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. The Cooke Transfer Scholarship is designed to create a clear pathway to a four-year degree by offering up to $55,000 per year along with academic advising and access to a network of peers.
Grindstaff shared, “We are so proud of the PTK members and their hard work this year. Many have received scholarships and will transfer to their next colleges as wonderful representatives of John Wood Community College. We are thrilled to celebrate and honor these students.”
PTK, an international honors organization with more than 900 chapters, recognizes academic achievement at the community college level. The Alpha Tau Gamma chapter at John Wood was chartered in 1991 and met throughout the year to work on fundraisers, scholarships, leadership, service and fellowship projects. At John Wood, Phi Theta Kappa has the following membership requirements: a student must have completed twelve semester hours of associate degree work, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 and be currently enrolled in classes at JWCC. Students are recognized with special regalia at annual graduation ceremonies.
Attached Pictures: Matthew Kim, Catharine Miller
