Three CGCC Students Named to All-Arizona Academic Team

Three CGCC students have been named to the All Arizona Academic team, an honor that places them among the top community college students in the state of Arizona and the country.  Alexis Powers, Tristan Garcia and Jared Brimhall were three of nine high-achieving East Valley students to receive the same honor during an awards ceremony on March 3rd.  A total of seventy-five community college scholars from across the state participated in the ceremony, which celebrates their outstanding academic achievements and distinguished leadership.

“We are very proud of these students’ individual success as well as CGCC’s strong presence on the 2016 All-Arizona Academic Team,” explained Chris Schnick,  Dean of Arts & Sciences “Applicants who are chosen for this team endure a rigorous evaluation and elimination process and to have three from CGCC is a significant achievement indeed.”

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 college campus. The selected recipients’ applications were then forwarded to Washington, D.C., for second and third rounds of judging and scoring by representatives from various federal agencies and national education associations. Those scores were used to rank the students for first, second or third state teams. 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.



•    2016 All-Arizona Academic Team – CGCC, Pecos Campus

• Name: Alexis Power
  
• College: Chandler-Gilbert Community College
• Campus: Pecos Campus
• GPA: 3.89
• Transferring To: ASU
• Major (4 year): Civil Engineering
• Career Goal: Plans on earning a bachelor’s in Civil Engineering and also a Master’s. “I would like to spend time working in countries who do not have a solid infrastructure. Also, pursue project management,” shared Alexis.
• College/Community Activities: Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society, Women Rising, Engineering Club, and serving as a middle school youth leader.
• College Honors:  Presidents’ Honors Scholarship, President’s Honor List, MCCCD Foundation, Ingebritson, Steven G. Mihaylo, and Champagne, Choc & all that Jaz Scholarships
• Personal Quote: “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde

• Name: Tristan Garcia 
  
• College: Chandler-Gilbert Community College
• Campus: Pecos 
• GPA: 4.0 
• Transferring to: ASU
• Major (4 year): Sustainability
• Career Goal: Garcia plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in Sustainability and become an Environmental Restoration Planner while continuing to volunteer for organizations such as Chandler/Gilbert ARC and Habitat for Humanity.
• College/Community Activities: Phi Theta Kappa, CGCC Student Ambassador, CGCC Career Services Ambassador, Hands Enriching Lives Projects Club, Inter-cultural Exchange Club, Hispanic Student Organization, Women Rising, volunteer work at church
• College Honors: Presidential Scholarship, Presidents’ Honors List, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society 
• Personal Quote: “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” –Mother Teresa

•    2016 All-Arizona Academic Team – CGCC, Pecos Campus

• Name: Jared Brimhall
  
• College: Chandler Gilbert Community College
• Campus: Williams Campus
• GPA: 4.0
• Transferring To: ASU
• Major (4 year): Nursing
• Career Goal: Jared plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing from ASU and go on to become a nurse anesthetist. He also wants to provide nursing and anesthesia care as a medical missionary.
• College/Community Activities: Student Nurses in Action and volunteer work at church.
• College Honors: Phi Theta Kappa honor society member of the Alpha Sigma Nu chapter.
• Personal Quote: “If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse.” –Unknown

Top state team members face even greater opportunities for recognition and rewards. Twenty students will be named to the All-USA Community College Academic Team from the total pool of state first teams. All-USA Team members are the nation’s top community college students. They will be featured in a spring global edition of USA TODAY and each receive a $2,500 stipend, medallion, obelisk and certificate. These recognitions are presented to students at a ceremony at the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) Annual Convention.

In addition, the Coca-Cola Foundation, along with the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, recognizes the New Century Scholars. Fifty students from all state teams will be named Gold Scholars, receiving $1,500; 50 students will be named Silver Scholars, receiving $1,250; and 50 students will be named Bronze Scholars, receiving $1,000. A state may have multiple Gold, Silver and Bronze Scholars. All scholars also receive special medallions. The top scoring student in each of the 50 states will be named a New Century Scholar and will receive a $2,000 stipend. New Century Scholars will also be recognized at the AACC Convention.