The San Diego Community College District announced Wednesday that six students at San Diego City, Mesa and Miramar colleges were honored as members of the Phi Theta Kappa All-California Academic team.
More than 100 students were named to the first, second and third All- California Academic teams at the annual PTK Awards Luncheon in Sacramento on Monday. The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society honored the six students for their academic performance, leadership skills and community service.
Miramar College student Hanna Ostapchuk and Mesa College students Sofia Castellani-Staedler and Hong-Nhung Nguyen were named to the first team. Ostapchuk arrived in the U.S. at age 20 and worked as a hotel housekeeper, line cook and coffee shop manager before enrolling at Miramar College. According to the district, she plans to transfer to a four-year university and pursue a career in business.
Nguyen is the vice president of Mesa’s Associated Student Government and has been on the Dean’s List each year she has attended the college.
Castellani-Staedler serves as Mesa College’s Associated Student Body president. She is also a student trustee on the district’s board. Both Castellani-Staedler and Ostapchuk are semi-finalists for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, an award of up to $40,000 per year.
City College student Ronny Vasquez was named to the second team, while City College student Bianca Leon and Miramar College student Sirena Orona were named to the third academic team.
Vasquez, hailing from Venezuela, is in his last semester at City College and plans to enter the energy industry once he receives his degree in chemical engineering. Leon has a 4.0 GPA and intends to transfer to San Diego State University to complete her degree in administration of justice.
Orona was homeschooled until her junior year of high school, according to the district. Now in the public school system, she is pursuing a degree in behavioral neuroscience and, eventually, a career in learning and behavioral research.
— City News Service