by Kelly Rogge
Two Kansas City Kansas Community College students are among 55 Kansas community college scholars that will be honored for their academic accomplishments Feb. 12 in Topeka during the 19th annual Phi Theta Kappa Honors Luncheon.
The luncheon will be held at the Ramada Inn Hotel in Topeka in conjunction with February’s Kansas Board of Regents meeting. Those in attendance will hear from Rod Risley, executive director, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. The KCKCC students selected were Joseph Lutz and Wendy Monarres.
Representing the state’s 19 community colleges and a private two-year college, these scholars have been named to the 2014-2015 All-Kansas Academic Team. The team is sponsored by the international headquarters of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees and the Kansas Council of Community College Presidents.
“We consider this a very worthwhile endeavor for all of the Kansas community colleges to come together and celebrate the achievements of the state’s outstanding students,” said Tammy Fuentez, vice president for Student Affairs at Labette Community College, who serves as the Kansas region coordinator for the Honor Society. “These students are our finest not only in the academic sphere, but also in terms of service and citizenship.”
Each scholar was selected by his or her own community college for the annual statewide academic team, and each scholar is also a nominee for the 2014-2015 All-USA Academic Team, sponsored by “USA Today,” Phi Theta Kappa and the American Association of Community Colleges. First team members each receive a $2,500 stipend and will be featured along with second and third team members in the newspaper. Team members are also presented with medallions. Names of the students will be placed on the society’s website, www.ptk.org.
Lutz is a Phi Theta Kappa chapter officer at KCKCC as well as a veterinary assistant. He plans to transfer to the University of Kansas to major in engineering. Monarres is also a Phi Theta Kappa chapter officer as well as an International Distinguished Member Award recipient. She is Student Senate president at KCKCC and is an Academic Challenge Team member. Her major is pre-medicine.
Phi Theta Kappa is the honor society for students attending community and two-year colleges. Membership is based on high grade point averages and other criteria, with members focusing on scholastic achievement as well as community service.
Each student will receive a certificate signed by Gov. Sam Brownback, a $300 scholarship and an academic medallion. The Kansas Board of Regents universities, Washburn University and the Kansas Independent Colleges will provide a minimum scholarship of $1,000 for those named to the All-Kansas Team who transfer to their institutions.
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at KCKCC.