Three PVCC Scholars Receive Academic Achievement Awards in a Recent Ceremony

The 2020-2021 academic year just became a bit more rewarding for three members of Phi Theta Kappa. Yanir Haim, Trent Zakielarz and Gustavo Guevara were the most recent recipients of academic achievement awards at PVCC. It takes hard work and dedication to achieve a degree from any institute, whether it is a community college or a four-year university. The students that show tremendous strength and determination in their everyday lives are members of the All USA Academic Team led by the PTK organization.

There are two awards that can come from being nominated for the All USA Academic Team at PVCC: the Transfer Pathway Scholarship and the Workforce Pathway Scholarship. Both of these scholarships are granted to students who show genuine interest in their academics, but in two slightly different ways. 

The Transfer Pathway Scholarship is granted to students who demonstrate excellent academic performance and intellectual ability combined with leadership and service. These individuals would possess the tools necessary to extend their education beyond the doors of the classroom to benefit others in society. Twenty members of the academic team are named annually and each will receive a $5,000 scholarship, totaling $100,000 in awards. 

“In addition to scholarships, team members are presented at the annual President’s Breakfast held during the American Association of Community Colleges Annual Convention,” said Bruce Robinson, Khi Theta Kappa advisor and associate professor of Information Technology.

Unlike the Transfer Pathway Scholarship, the Workforce Pathway Scholarship (also known as the New Century Workforce Pathway Scholarship) is awarded to one student per state each year. The individual that receives this award would be recognized as someone who has the most outstanding performance as a workforce bound student. The $1,250 scholarship can be used to complete an associate’s degree, obtain a certificate, or purchase any trade-related tools to enter the workforce.

Everyone can congratulate the two Transfer Pathway Scholarship recipients, Yanir Haim and Trent Zakielarz. Congratulations are also in store for the Workforce Pathway recipient Gustavo Guevara. 

“Please join the Alpha Epsilon Tau chapter’s officers, members and advisors of Phi Theta Kappa here at PVCC in recognizing our three outstanding nominees for the All-Virginia Academic Team for the 2020 – 2021 year,” said Robinson. 

Led by PTK advisors Bruce Robinson and Kit Decker, these students will be recognized at an event in Richmond, Va. in the spring with the college’s president, vice president of instruction, and the chancellor of the Virginia Community College System.