FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Doug Schultz
Communications Supervisor
626-852-6497
dschultz@citruscollege.edu
Citrus College Student to Receive Prestigious National Recognitions
Glendora, Calif. (March 12, 2019) – Citrus College student Philippe Schicker will receive two of the nation's most prestigious academic honors presented to two-year college students next month in Orlando, Florida.
Mr. Schicker, an international student from Germany, is one of only 10 community college students in the country selected to receive the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society's Hites Transfer Scholarship. He will be recognized during the organization's annual Catalyst convention in April 2019.
Approximately 2,800 students nationwide applied for the $7,500 scholarship, which is the largest and most prestigious offered by PTK. Mr. Schicker and the other recipients were selected because of their outstanding academic achievement, as well as their leadership and engagement in college and community activities.
"I was so pleased to receive the wonderful news of Philippe Schicker's award of a Phi Theta Kappa 2019 Hites Transfer Scholarship," said Dr. Geraldine M. Perri, superintendent/president of Citrus College. "The Citrus College community is incredibly proud of Philippe – he is an excellent student and has excelled on many fronts. We are all thrilled that his academic success and college contributions are being acknowledged on a national level."
In addition to receiving a Hites Transfer Scholarship, Mr. Schicker is also one of 20 students named to the prestigious All-USA Academic Team. He will receive a second scholarship of $5,000 during the American Association of Community Colleges' annual convention.
The All-USA program is widely recognized as the most significant academic honor presented to students attending associate degree-granting institutions. Each of the nation's nearly 1,200 two-year colleges may nominate two students who show intellectual rigor and demonstrate academic achievement, leadership and civic growth.
"Receiving these honors is beyond humbling," Mr. Schicker said. "When I came to the United States, I promised myself that I would not let any opportunity pass. Through hard work, dedication and support from Citrus College, especially my academic advisor Mr. Brian Waddington, I am being recognized for doing my very best.
"I hope to inspire others by letting them know that with discipline and a supportive community like Citrus College, anything is possible in the land of opportunity," he added.
Mr. Schicker will not only be attending the PTK Catalyst convention as an honoree, but also as the organization's international vice president. PTK is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of community college students, helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. It is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 nations.
In his role as international vice president, Mr. Schicker represents 292 PTK chapters across eight regions, including chapters located in Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.
"Philippe Schicker has distinguished himself as a student leader at Citrus College and throughout the country. He is a stellar example of the brilliant and talented students that Citrus College serves," said Susan M. Keith, president of the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees. "On behalf of the college community, I extend my sincere congratulations to both Philippe and to Brian Waddington, the faculty advisor for Citrus College's PTK chapter. Recognitions such as these advance the college's reputation for being a national leader in higher education."
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