Ten Named 2015 Pearson Scholars, Receive $250,000 in Scholarships
Jackson, MS (PRWEB) September 23, 2015 -- Phi Theta Kappa has announced that 10 members have been selected as 2015 Pearson Scholars from nearly 700 applications nationwide.
Each Pearson Scholar will be provided with a $1,000 scholarship to complete an associate degree, and then an additional $4,000 to complete a bachelor's degree, for a total of $5,000 in scholarships.
Each Pearson Scholar will be paired with a Pearson Mentor and will receive complimentary access to Pearson textbooks and digital access codes to support them as they complete their degrees. In addition, Pearson Scholars will be recognized in a special advertisement in The Chronicle of Higher Education in fall 2015.
In Spring 2015, Phi Theta Kappa corporate partner Pearson, the world's leading learning company, committed to provide $250,000 over the next five years in scholarships and other support to help Society members complete both associate and baccalaureate degrees. This is the Society's first renewable scholarship that follows the student from the associate degree program to completion of a bachelor's degree.
Christin Grissom, Phi Theta Kappa's Director of Scholarship Operations, said members applied online through the Society's Spring Scholarship Application by completing the Leaders of Promise Scholarship application along with an additional essay question to be considered for the Pearson Scholarship for Higher Education.
Candidates were required to be a member of Phi Theta Kappa with a minimum of 3.5 cumulative grade point average, and were selected based on civic engagement, showing commitment to their communities through service, demonstrating persistence and leadership, and exhibiting academic rigor and excellence. Preference was given to first-generation college students.
The 2015 Pearson Scholars include:
Isaac Earl W. Burris, Northeast Texas Community College, Texas
Michael Dunn, Carroll Community College, Maryland
Hannah Floyd, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Kentucky
Angee Gonzalez, Essex County College, New Jersey
Ariel L. Gutierrez, Miami Dade College, Florida
Ashley N. Owens, Piedmont Technical College, South Carolina
Mary M. Smith, Northeast Texas Community College, Texas
Richard W. Twist, Georgia Highlands College, Georgia
Gabrielle C. Woods, Des Moines Area Community College, Iowa
Carmel Wright, Sacramento City College, California
"We deeply appreciate Pearson's willingness to partner with Phi Theta Kappa by providing scholarships that will help our members complete both associate and baccalaureate degree programs," said Phi Theta Kappa Foundation CEO Dr. Nancy Rieves. "Studies have shown that Phi Theta Kappa members are four times more likely to complete than their community college peers. Financial and mentoring support, like what is being provided by Pearson, will assure their success."
Pearson's Senior Vice President, Strategy & Marketing, Annabel Cellini, said, "Through our strategic partnership with Phi Theta Kappa, we look forward to helping and inspiring more learners to make measurable progress by achieving their degree completion goals, which will ultimately position them for long-term success."
About Pearson
Pearson is the world's leading learning company, with 40,000 employees in more than 80 countries working to help people of all ages to make measurable progress in their lives through learning. For more information about Pearson, visit http://www.pearson.com.
About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa, headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, is the is the largest honor society in higher education with 1,285 chapters on college campuses in all 50 of the United States, U.S. territorial possessions and eight sovereign nations. Nearly 3 million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918, with approximately 133,000 students inducted annually.
Contact:
Melissa Mayer – melissa.mayer(at)ptk(dot)org, 601-984-3684
Laura Howe – laura.gamble(at)pearson(dot)com, 800-745-8489
Laura Howe, Pearson, http://www.pearson.com, +1 (800) 745-8489, [email protected]
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