Two Students Selected for Prestigious All-Arizona Academic Team

Academic Achievement and Community Involvement Garner Awards for GateWay Community College students

PHOENIX, Arizona – For two GateWay Community College students, hard work and dedication in and out of the classroom has paid off. GWCC students Christina Xing and Jennifer Saltzman have been named to the 2009 All-Arizona Academic Team for community college, an honor for community college students across the state.

At a Feb. 19 awards ceremony the All-Arizona Academic Team will be split into first, second and third place teams. Xing and Saltzman will still receive a scholarship from GateWay and a full tuition waiver to the Arizona state university of their choice, courtesy of the Arizona Board of Regents. If either Xing or Saltzman place on the first team, they are automatically considered for the All-USA Academic Team, which is sponsored by USA Today and announced later during the spring semester.

Christina Xing, a business and economics major, is originally from Shanghai, China and immigrated to the U.S. in 2005. Since becoming a student at GateWay, Xing has been actively involved in the college’s chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, regularly attends leadership conferences and organized a Senior Citizen Tax Preparation Day. After graduating from GateWay, Xing plans on attending a university to pursue a business degree and eventually hopes to earn her PhD.

Jennifer Saltzman, a nursing major, is also involved in Phi Theta Kappa and has served the community by working as a high school science tutor, coaching a high school volleyball team and participating in a local church camp. Saltzman is also a member of AmeriCorps’ Project Ayuda, where she spends more than 50 hours a month assisting nurses at hospitals across the Valley. After graduating from GateWay, Saltzman plans on continuing her education at ASU and hopes to eventually earn a master’s degree in nursing.

The All-Arizona Academic Team is an annual event that honors Arizona community college students who are top scholars and participate in community service. Recognized students are usually also members of their college’s chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Society, the national community college honors organization.

About GateWay Community College
As one of the Maricopa Community Colleges, GateWay Community College is a fully accredited public institution of higher education located in Phoenix, Ariz. Offering over 100 Certificate and Associate Degree programs in the areas of Business and Information Technology, Health Sciences, Industrial Technology, Nursing and University Transfer, GateWay has emerged as a leading institution to meet the needs of business and industry. Visit http://www.gatewaycc.edu/ or call 602-286-8046 for more information.

Technorati Tags: Arizona, ASU, Gateway Community College, Phoenix