New Jersey Community College Students Recognized for their Academic Excellence and Leadership
Contact: Catherine Starghill, Esq.
Director of Strategy, Outreach & Communications
New Jersey Community College Students Recognized for their Academic Excellence and Leadership with the Coveted All-USA Academic Team Scholarship
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted so much of what higher education has long deemed to be normal. For two New Jersey Community College students, 2021 is proving to be a year in which their tireless academic and leadership efforts are rewarded. We are so proud of Bianca Isabelle Osma from Passaic County Community College and Dahyun (Crystal) Yoo from Bergen Community College, who have been selected as recipients of the 2021 All-USA Academic Team Scholarship and are now part of an elite group.
The All-USA program is widely recognized as the most prestigious academic honor for students seeking an associate degree or credential. The All-USA Academic Team recognizes high-achieving college students who demonstrate academic excellence and intellectual rigor combined with leadership and service that extends their education beyond the classroom to benefit society. These students were nominated by their colleges for the scholarship program. Each winner receives a $5,000 scholarship through the All-USA Academic Team Scholarship program.
“More than 80,000 community college students completed an associate degree with grade point averages that were near perfect and could have been considered for this award,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. “Each scholar was nominated by their college before undergoing a rigorous judging process conducted by a national panel.”
“The All-USA Academic team represents the very best students from that process. We are proud of their outstanding work both in the classroom and in their communities, and we thank Cengage for recognizing these student leaders and for investing in their futures,” Dr. Lynn Tincher-Lader further stated.
“These two Community College students are exceptional and we are pleased that they represent the best of New Jersey as members of the 2021 All-USA Academic Team, and we share in their excitement,” said Dr. Aaron R. Fichtner, President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges.
“I am excited by this opportunity to meet other recipients and forge friendships along the way. I hope this award opens doors to future collaboration with my fellow teammates. This achievement could not have happened without the support of my family, the PTK Alpha Epsilon Phi Chapter, faculty and staff at Bergen Community College,” said Dayhun (Crystal) Yoo.
Bianca described this opportunity when she said, “being a Phi Theta Kappa member allows me to work alongside my peers, faculty, and college administrators to bring students to the table and provide student perspectives in the classroom. This collaboration led me to create the Course Navigator project, which has been institutionalized at our college. I was able to seize this crucial moment in providing more student leadership opportunities and promoting student success.”
Cengage Learning sponsors the program with additional support from the American Association of Community Colleges and Phi Theta Kappa.
About NJCCC:
New Jersey’s 18 agile and innovative Community Colleges are prepared to lead in the response to and recovery from this public health and economic crisis and to secure a brighter future for all New Jerseyans. The New Jersey Council of County Colleges provides statewide leadership for the advancement of New Jersey Community Colleges, performs coordinating responsibilities as required by law, and coordinates statewide efforts to build a skilled workforce and improve student success. We encourage you to visit our website at www.njccc.org.
