Change Makers: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Student Leadership.
PARAMUS, N.J. – The student members of Alpha Epsilon Phi, the Bergen Community College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, earned numerous recognitions during the late summer months, including having a journal article published and multiple students winning scholarship awards.
Selected from 420 entries, “Fortifying Campus Inclusivity through DEI and Alumni Outreach” has become one of only 17 articles published in the third edition of Change Makers: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Student Leadership. Students Saki Kogawa, of Bloomfield, and Yuval Kipnis, of Fair Lawn, authored the article about creating a sense of belongingness among Bergen students and graduates after working on various projects in support of the goal during the previous academic year.
“We are so thrilled that because of their hard work they have received such an honor, and we are grateful to the college administrators who aided them on their journey,” Assistant Director of Phi Theta Kappa and Honors Anna Gergen said. “Our students dedicated countless hours to their project and article about DEI and alumni outreach on campus.”
Meanwhile, student Luke Savov, of Fort Lee, earned the 2023 Coca Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar award and will receive a $1,000 scholarship. The Leaders of Promise Scholarship, sponsored by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, recognized 200 PTK members from more than 1,100 applicants, who displayed outstanding academic achievement and leadership potential.
Finally, students Carrie Kelly, of Oakland, and Amna Khan, of Fort Lee, earned PTK’s StudyBuddy TEAS and HESI Prep Award, which provides them with access to StudyBuddy.live, an eLearning platform that provides asynchronous courses that focus on conceptual understanding of material. The students receive complimentary access to the site, a $300 value.
“It is always such a joy to see our students be recognized by PTK through these scholarships,” Gergen said. “We hope that these success stories inspire even more students to join our community of PTK scholars on campus.”
Students can become members of PTK at Bergen by maintaining high grade point averages, committing themselves to community service and standing out as peer leaders. Members make themselves available for scholarships and honors exclusively for PTK students. The College’s chapter has previously earned recognition as the best in the world. Faculty member Lisa Mayer, Esq., serves as an adviser to the chapter.
Founded in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa is the official honor society for two-year colleges that recognizes and awards high-achieving students at associate degree granting colleges. PTK’s mission is to recognize academic achievement of college students and to provide opportunities for them to grow as scholars and leaders. The society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations. For more information, visit www.bergenptk.com.
Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.
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