(Santa Ana, CA)—Two Santa Ana College (SAC) students and members of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society were selected as part of the All- California Academic Team. Garden Grove resident and second-year SAC student Linh Nguyen was selected for the first team and Stanton resident and second-year SAC student Hanh Pham was selected for the second team.
To be picked for the All-State Academic Team is difficult as it is a highly competitive honor. Only two students from a given college can be nominated and after nominations are received it is then determined what team nominees will be placed in. Grades, leadership and community service determine selection to the All-California first, second and third teams. The selection for the All-California teams was determined by the scores nominees received from Phi Theta Kappa judges at the national level selecting winners for the national academic teams. The 93 students selected statewide represent some of the best of the two million students enrolled in California’s 113 community colleges.
Nguyen is an accounting major at SAC who has been a member of Phi Theta Kappa since 2015. She is an international student from Vietnam. Nguyen is the current secretary of SAC’s International Student Association and treasurer of the Communications Studies Club. Through these organizations Nguyen says she has had the chance to develop communication and leadership skills. Nguyen is applying to transfer to San Diego State University to receive a bachelor’s in accounting. After receiving her degree, she plans on continuing on for a master’s in accounting and eventually she wants to take her Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exams to become a professional in the accounting field.
Business administration major, Pham, was also honored. Pham and her family immigrated to the United States almost two years ago and she is a first generation college student. She has dedicated herself to studying business administration while concentrating in marketing. Organizations that Pham belongs to are Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Gamma Sigma. Pham also volunteers as a note-taker for Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS). And at SAC’s Centennial Celebration she was a part of the welcoming staff. She is now on her way to transferring to California State University, Fullerton to become an expert in the marketing field.
Phi Theta Kappa is an academic honor society for students at two-year institutions started in 1918. The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa is to recognize and encourage academic achievements by students at two-year colleges. This organization also provides these students with opportunities to grow and develop individually through honors, leadership, service and fellowship programs. Each two-year school that participates in this society has a chapter name and SAC’s chapter is Alpha Beta. SAC’s chapter, Alpha Beta, is one of the oldest chapters in California.
About Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College (SAC), which turned 100 years old in 2015, serves about 18,000 students each semester at its main campus in Santa Ana. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions, provides invaluable workforce training, and customized training for business and industry. In addition, another 11,000 students are served through the college’s School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center. Ranked as one of the nation’s top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students, the college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and other medical personnel. SAC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District. Visit www.sac.edu to learn more. For information about Santa Ana College’s Centennial, please visitwww.sac.edu/100.
# # #
