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MCCC Celebrates
Grads' Academic Achievements
At Honors Convocation
6/1/11
West
Windsor, N.J. - During Mercer's Honors Convocation, which
preceded commencement on May 26, the college recognized the
academic achievements of close to 100 special graduates at
Kelsey Theatre.
As proud family members and friends looked on, MCCC faculty
and administrators presented students with academic certificates
and scholarships in honor of their achievements. Among the
honorees were 15 members of Alpha Theta Gamma, MCCC's chapter
of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, 19 NJ
STARS graduates, and nine Honors Program graduates.
Some of the college's highest achievers received multiple
awards. NJ STARS student Patrick Puliti received the Dowd/Fessler
Memorial Scholarship for Achievement in Biology and the Rick
Rednor AIDS Foundation Scholarship. He was also recognized
for Outstanding Achievement in Organic Chemistry. He will
attend Rutgers University in the fall, with plans to become
a physician specializing in infectious diseases.
Another NJ STARS student, Cheryl Hicks, graduates with a double
major in math and computer science. She received the Professor
Betty Wallace Cornelius Mathematics Excellence Award and an
Albert B. Kahn Scholarship to continue her studies at The
College of New Jersey, where she will major in computer science.
International student Loc Tran, who hails from Vietnam, received
the Outstanding Achievement Award in Business Administration.
Tran was an active member of the International Student Organization
and Phi Theta Kappa. A three-star PTK graduate, he was one
of two students to represent Mercer this spring on the PTK
All-State Academic Team. He has received a generous scholarship
from Drexel University to continue his studies in Business.
PTK grad Lauren-Carmel Sirak received the Outstanding Achievement
Award in Dance and was selected for an Albert B. Kahn Scholarship.
Her choreography was featured in the MCCC Student Dance Concert
earlier this year. She performed with fellow dance students
in New York City and with Battery Dance Company at Kelsey
Theatre. She hopes to one day start a non-profit dance school
in Trenton.
At
18, Max Skula is MCCC's youngest grad this year. He received
the Outstanding Achievement Award in Chemistry and an Albert
B. Kahn Scholarship to continue his studies at Rutgers School
of Engineering, where he will major in Chemical Engineering.
He is a three-star PTK awardee.
This year's scholar athletes are Mark Pratico and Jessica
Villalba. The two soccer players received Dr. Cynthia Schaffer
Memorial Scholarships and MCCC Athletics Scholarships. Practico
will transfer to Rider University, where he plans to major
in English with the goal of being a teacher, while Villalba
graduates with an A.S. in Exercise Science and will transfer
to Rowan University to continue her studies. Villalba also
received the MCCC Faculty Association Scholarship in honor
of Professor Emeritus Davis E. Collier.
More photos are available on MCCC's Facebook page here.
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Soccer
players Mark Pratico, left, and Jessica Villalba were
selected as MCCC's Scholar Athletes for 2011. They are
pictured with Assistant Dean and Athletics Director
John Simone.
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Family
and friends filled the back rows of Kelsey Theatre as
graduates wait to be called.
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Graduate
Patrick Puliti (center) with, from left, Dean of Science and
Health Professions Linda Martin, Marcy Beck, presenter of
the Dowd/Fessler Memorial Scholarship, President Patricia
C. Donohue and Vice President for Academic Affairs Guy Generals.
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Graduate
Cheryl Hicks (center) with, from left, Dean of Liberal Arts
Robin Schore, donor Jeffrey Cornelius, President Patricia
C. Donohue and Vice President for Academic Affairs Guy Generals.
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International
student Loc Tran (center) with, from left, Acting Dean of
Business Winston Maddox and Professor Framarz Khoushab, President
Patricia C. Donohue and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Guy Generals.
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Dance
major Lauren-Carmel Sirak (center) with, from left, Arts and
Communication Dean Judy Ehresman, Associate Professor James
Kelly, President Patricia C. Donohue and Vice President for
Academic Affairs Guy Generals.
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Grad
Max Skula (center) with, from left, Dean Linda Martin, Associate
Professor Helen Tanzini, President Patricia C. Donohue and
Vice President for Academic Affairs Guy Generals.
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From
left, Honors Program coordinators, Associate English Professor
Carol Bork and Sociology Professor Gianna Durso-Finley, Vice
President for Academic Affairs Guy Generals, Honors students
Sarah Dodge, Judy Henry, Rebecca Lewark and Kyle Walsh, and
President Patricia C. Donohue.
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