Four students named to state academic team, receive scholarships

CGCC's All-Arizona Academic Team winners (from left)
Cecile Sharp, Lori Fusak, Cassandra Roose, 

and Whitney Vizzini

Four Chandler-Gilbert Community College students were honored at the 20th Annual All-Arizona Academic Awards Luncheon on Feb. 18. Lori Fusak and Whitney Vizzini from the Pecos Campus and Cassandra Roose and Cecile Sharp from the Williams Campus were named to the All-Arizona Academic Team by the Phi Theta Kappa organization. They were among 26 students awarded from the Maricopa Community College District and 73 from across the state.

To be eligible for the award, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, be in good academic standing, be working on an associate’s degree, demonstrate leadership, and interact with their community as a college ambassador.

Judging to select the recipients consisted of three rounds. In the first round, a group of local business, civic, education and government leaders reviewed applications and chose the recipients of the award. Only two are selected from each campus of the college. Those recipients’ applications were then forwarded to Washington, D.C. for second and third rounds of judging by representatives from various federal agencies and national education associations who scored them. Those scores were used to rank the students for first, second or third state team. First team members receive a $1,000 scholarship, second team members a $750 scholarship, and third team members a $500 scholarship to one of Arizona’s state universities.

Fusak, Sharp and Vizzini were awarded First Team honors and Roose received Second Team honors.

In the long-term, Fusak plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications and become a publicist while continuing her work with the homeless. Roose will complete medical school to become a neurosurgeon and devote a few years to Doctors Without Borders. Sharp plans to become a social worker serving the elderly population of Maricopa County. Vizzini will earn her juris doctorate and own a law firm in Arizona as well as continue to build homes with Habitat for Humanity.