Reading, PA- Alpha Sigma Rho, Reading Area Community College’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Chapter, attended the PTK Middle States Regional Convention in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania March 15-17. The Hallmark Awards, one of the major programs of PTK International, engages members to participate in activities which support the Society’s Hallmarks of Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Fellowship. Chapters submit reports on their work in several areas. These submissions are judged competitively and individuals, chapters and regions are recognized for their excellence in support of these hallmarks. Awards are given on both a regional and international level. The Middle States Region includes eighty chapters from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and D.C.

During the annual PTK Middle States Regional Convention, the chapter received several significant awards:

• College Project-among the top 10 in the Middle States Region for work planning and implementing a college-wide Volunteer Fair 
• Honors in Action-among the top 10 in the Middle States Region for their academic exploration of how people communicate in today’s society.  The aim was to foster connections through various types of communication as a response to the prevailing divisive communication evident in many aspects of our digital society. 
• Honors in Action-the chapter was awarded the best in the region for alignment with Theme 7 (Powers of Connection) of the honors study topic
• Among the top 15 Most Distinguished Chapters in the Middle States Region-this is awarded to chapters based on cumulative scores in the Hallmark activities (out of 80 chapters in the region)
• REACH Award for high membership acceptance rates-RACC’s rate this past year was 19.3% as compared to 18.6% regional average and 14.4% international average
• Five Star Chapter Award and Gold Star Chapter for achieving the Five Star designation as part of PTK’s chapter development program
• Best Pennsylvania Commit to Complete single day event for work with the college on degree completion

In addition to these chapter-based awards, the following individuals received awards: 

• Dr. Danelle Bower-Horizon Outstanding Advisor Award and Five-Star Chapter Advisor Award for completing the online advisor development program
• Judith Croteau (Chapter President)-Chapter President Award; Chapter Officer Hall of Honor Roll award and Five-Star member award for completing the competitive edge soft skills development program
• Valerie Mackey (Chapter Vice President)-Chapter Officer Honor Roll award and Five-Star member award for completing the competitive edge soft skills development program 
• Dr. Donna Singleton-Five-Star Chapter Advisor Award for completing the online advisor development program 
• Kristy Whitekettle (RACC alumna)-inducted into the Middle States Region Alumni Association
• Leann Wolf-Distinguished Chapter Member Award for her significant work supporting chapter activities

To learn more about developing leadership potential through participation in Phi Theta Kappa programs at RACC, contact Danelle Bower at 610.372.4721.

Reading, PA-Judith Croteau a student at Reading Area Community College (RACC) has been named a 2019 Coca-Cola Academic Team Silver Scholar and will receive a $1,250 scholarship.

After relocating to Reading from Las Vegas Nevada, Croteau has received her Associate of Science in business management, Associate of Arts transfer in business administration, and plans to graduate with an Associate of Science in accounting from RACC in May, 2019.

"My goal is to return to RACC and teach. A very special thank you to my RACC Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Advisors Dr. Danelle Bower, and Dr. Donna Singleton; and Coca Cola. This scholarship is one more step on my path to a bachelor's degree and then a master's degree. My next stop is Kutztown University. I am incredibly blessed and excited," says Judith.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Coca-Cola Academic Team program by recognizing 50 Gold, 50 Silver, and 50 Bronze Scholars with nearly $200,000 in scholarships annually. Each scholar also receives a commemorative medallion.

"The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges," said Jane Hale Hopkins, president of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. "We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa and make it possible for deserving students to achieve their educational goals."

"I am very proud of the hard work Judith applies toward achieving her goals," says Dr. Susan Looney, president of Reading Area Community College. "She is a shining example of the positive results enabled through RACC's ongoing commitment to access, opportunity, excellence, and hope."

Students are nominated for the academic team by their college administrators. Selection is based on academic achievement, leadership, and engagement in college and community service.

Coca-Cola Academic Team members will be recognized in both local and statewide ceremonies and will also be recognized internationally during Phi Theta Kappa's annual convention, PTK Catalyst, April 4-6 in Orlando, Florida.

To learn more about developing leadership potential through participation in Phi Theta Kappa programs at RACC, contact Danelle Bower at 610.372.4721.

For Twila Fisher, RACC was just the right environment to developing the kind of tenacity she would acquire throughout her years in college. “My time at RACC prepared me for my career by reinforcing the drive to work harder than I had before, to think outside of the box, and to embrace people from all walks of life.”

After graduating from Lancaster Mennonite High School, Twila moved to Mexico City and then to Miami before moving back to Pennsylvania and settling in Berks County. At that time, Twila put her education and career on hold to begin a family. When her four daughters were all in school, Twila enrolled in school herself at RACC. “I pursued RACC for myself for the same reason I recommend it to people of all ages: location and affordability.”

While enrolled at RACC, Twila received the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Transfer Scholarship which allowed her to pursue her undergraduate degree at Columbia University. “Nothing seemed insurmountable after pushing through the commute to Manhattan’s upper west side twice a week for two and half years and the academic rigor of Columbia.” During this time, Twila received a second scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation allowing to continue her studies. She finished her graduate courses in eighteen months at the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government.

During her time at RACC, Twila took advantage of the excellent student life organizations to help her gain more out of education. She served as the president for the Student Government Association and was involved in the Student Leadership Program. She also had many influential teachers that were encouraging forces in her education. She says their guidance and teachings have stuck with her to this day. “Dr. Donna Singleton inspired me to explore my potential in academic excellence, Stephanie Anderson taught me to write with purpose, and Dr. John Morgan challenged me to explore my belief systems and to dream big.”

Twila is currently the director of community and economic development at The Hill School. She serves on six different boards and committees including the Tri-County Area Chamber of Commerce, Barrio Alegria in the City of Reading, and an advisory board for the Olivet Boys and Girls Club in Pottstown. Twila says that sometimes people say to her, “you must be so smart since you went to Columbia and Penn.” She replies, “I’m not smarter than anybody else, I just work hard. Like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it and RACC taught me that at a critical transition in my life.”

Middle school students from across Berks County got a chance this week to get an up-close look at the world of engineering.

The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, the local chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Reading Area Community College and R/C Reading Movies teamed up to celebrate National Engineers Week. They presented an event for students designed to expose them to the world of engineering.

Throughout the week, students traveled to the IMAX theater on North Second Street to view the film "Dream Big: Engineering Our World." Afterward, they headed to RACC to check out engineering demonstrations and career exploration tables with local employers, colleges and universities.

Reading Area Community College student Kaiya Kizuka became the U.S. champion in the parallel slalom Tuesday by being the highest placed American in the event at the FIS World Snowboard Championships in Park City, Utah.

The event is the highest level of snowboarding competition during a non-Olympic year.
Kizuka trains with Ski Roundtop Race Club in Lewisberry, PA and competes in the Open Class level at national and international FIS events as she tries to secure a spot on the World Cup circuit and qualify for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Kaiya graduated Magna Cum Laude from the STEM and Performing Arts Academies at Wilson High School. She received the Presidential Scholarship and is attending Reading Area Community College where she is enrolled in the RACC/Bucknell engineering program.

During the 2017/2018 snowboard season Kaiya competed nationally in the NorAm “Race to the Cup” snowboard series. At the end of the season she had earned enough FIS points to be ranked among the top junior women open class athletes in the United States. 

She has been a member of the U.S. Junior World team the last two years.