BOSTON — The Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges (MACC) will honor Community College scholars for their induction to the 2021 Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-Massachusetts Academic Team through a virtual "PTK Community College Excellence Week." 

 

Berkshire Community College students Monica Bliss, Molly Gingras, and Ginger Zani will be recognized.

 

Running on its social media pages from Monday, April 26 through Friday, April 30, MACC will highlight the student members of the All-Massachusetts Academic Team for their outstanding academic achievement and exemplary student service.

 

"The Phi Theta Kappa community at Berkshire Community College embodies academic excellence, service, and dedication," said BCC President Ellen Kennedy. "We're so proud of our three students who were chosen for the PTK All-Massachusetts Academic Team, who are truly ambassadors for the college and the community."

 

Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society of two-year colleges and has recognized and encouraged scholarship among community college students for more than 100 years while promoting the academic integrity of the associate degree program. Students with grade point averages of 3.5 or higher are invited to join Phi Theta Kappa. 

 

"Every year, we look forward to this opportunity to highlight the community colleges' commitment to access, opportunity, and excellence," Tom Sannicandro, Director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges (MACC), said. "The outstanding achievements of our students cannot be understated, especially given the additional challenges we all have faced over the past year. We are proud of all they have accomplished and celebrate the continued pursuit of their academic and career aspirations."

 

In addition to membership on the All-Massachusetts Academic Team, three students earned additional recognition through scholarships from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and the All-USA Academic Team. 

 

Berkshire Community College's Monica Bliss was named an All-USA Academic Team Scholar and a New Century Transfer Scholar. The All-USA Community College Academic Team recognizes high achieving two-year college students who demonstrate academic excellence and intellectual rigor, combined with leadership and service that extends their education beyond the classroom to benefit society. Just twenty team members are named annually across the country, with each receiving a $5,000 scholarship. The student receiving the highest All-USA Community College Academic Team application score in each state is named a New Century Scholar and receives a $2,250 stipend.

 

Traditionally, a celebratory ceremony is held at the Massachusetts State House to honor the highest academic achievers in the state's 15-member community college system. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the celebration will take place online for the second year. 

 

MACC works on behalf of the Community College Presidents and their local Boards of Trustees to advocate, communicate, and collaborate to strengthen community colleges for the benefit of students, communities, and the Commonwealth. The Community Colleges currently represent more than 136,000 students in every region of Massachusetts, educating nearly half of all students in the state's public higher education system and serving the largest share of first-generation students, low-income students, and students of color.