NICC student, Carrie Klein, to represent Iowa in All-USA Academic Team
Monday, March 18, 2019
NICC DISTRICT—Carrie Klein, a Practical Nursing student at Northeast Iowa Community College, has received two of the nation’s top scholarships recognizing outstanding academic achievement among college students.
Klein is one of 20 students to be named to the All-USA Academic Team and will receive a $5,000 scholarship. The All-USA program is widely recognized as the most prestigious academic honor for students attending associate’s degree-granting institutions. All-USA Academic Team members were selected for their outstanding intellectual achievement, leadership, and community and campus engagement.
“After being named to the All-USA team, I realize that all the time and dedication I’ve put into building and maintaining a high GPA is finally paying off. Only through all my hard work, was I able to receive this prestigious award and be able to continue my nursing education with minimal expenses,” said Klein. Klein has a full schedule. In addition to her studies as a full-time Practical Nursing student, she works as a Certified Nurse Aide 30-40 hours a week and devotes many hours to her family’s dairy farm in her hometown of Sherrill.
Klein has also been named a 2019 New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar and will receive an additional $2,250 scholarship. New Century Transfer Pathway Scholars are selected based on their academic accomplishments, leadership activities and how well they extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom. Over 2,000 students were nominated from more than 1,200 college campuses across the country. Only one New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar is selected from each state.
“The fact that of all the college students throughout the State of Iowa, I was selected is such a tremendous honor. I see a multitude of fellow students who are so deserving of honors like these, but to be chosen really warms my heart and reassures me that hard work doesn’t go unnoticed,” she said.
The two scholarship honors for Klein are also a first for Northeast Iowa Community College. The College nominates students annually for recognition at the All-Iowa Academic Team. Nominees are eligible for nationally-recognized scholarships sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society for the two-year college. Klein represents the first selection to the All-USA Academic Team and as a New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar. Klein will also be attending the American Association of Community College Convention and honors breakfast on April 15 in Orlando, Fla.
“As the College nominator for these awards, I am extremely proud of Carrie and her accomplishments. Carrie’s outstanding academic records, as well as her volunteerism in the community, were contributing factors in her success. Each chapter of Phi Theta Kappa can nominate up to four students per campus for national recognition and scholarships. When you multiply that number across all eligible chapters in the United States, it is indeed an honor to be selected a top 20 community college student!” stated Rhonda Seibert, Phi Theta Kappa advisor and NICC associate vice president of operations.
The student will complete the Practical Nursing diploma this spring and continue in the College’s Associate Degree Nursing program. After graduation, she plans to work as a Registered Nurse in a hospital setting and explore other areas of nursing. Her future goals include participating in the University of Iowa’s RN-BSN program.
“We congratulate Carrie for receiving these prestigious and highly competitive scholarships that recognize outstanding achievements both inside and outside the classroom,” said Phi Theta Kappa’s President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner. “Scholarship programs like these not only recognize student achievement, but also create meaningful pathways for college students to succeed by putting completion within financial reach.”
The All-USA Academic Team is sponsored by Follett Higher Education Group, with additional support provided by Phi Theta Kappa and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).
The New Century Program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Phi Theta Kappa, and AACC. The New Century Transfer Pathway Scholars and All-USA Academic Team will be recognized at Phi Theta Kappa’s Presidents Breakfast in Orlando, Florida, on April 15 during the AACC Convention.
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping 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 10 nations. Learn more at ptk.org.