San Jacinto College Phi Theta Kappa students Andrew Currie, Sadokat Khakimova, and Erin Graham have been selected to represent the College as part of the All-Texas Academic Team in conjunction with the Texas Association of Community Colleges and PTK.
Each year, approximately 100 outstanding community college students are selected from the 50 community college districts in Texas to be honored as members of the All-Texas Academic Team. Students are nominated by faculty members, and selections are based on academic achievement, community service, leadership, and expression. Since a 3.5 GPA is required when applying, the extra work and community service outside their courses play an important role in selection.
"The students we nominate all have a 3.5 GPA, so it's either their community service, their service to PTK, and other extracurricular activities that set them apart," said Elizabeth McKinley, PTK faculty advisor and San Jac accounting professor.
"My life hasn't been easy, but I do everything I possibly can to do my best at everything I try," said Graham. "I strive to make A's in all my classes, and I work hard to make it happen. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity."
Opportunities like these often require long nights of studying and hours of extra work to maintain excellence. Add in community service and Phi Theta Kappa duties, and the room for error becomes even smaller. College can be trying, but the results always make the effort worth it.
"We are given an opportunity to change our lives every day," said Khakimova, vice president of leadership of San Jac's PTK South Campus chapter. "All we must do is to recognize it and catch it. One thing we all have to remember is that hard work is always rewarded. Belief in and [loving] what you do, along with a [good] work ethic, can take any person anywhere."