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Raritan Valley Community College student Sangeetha Punnam of Bridgewater is one of 20 college students in the country to be named to the prestigious All-USA Academic Team. Punnam, who is being recognized for her intellectual achievement, leadership, and community and campus engagement, will receive a $5,000 scholarship. More than 2,200 students were nominated for this award.

A member of the Academy for Health and Medical Sciences, Punnam is majoring in General Science/Pre-Health Professional at RVCC.

Punnam will be recognized during the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) convention in May. In addition to the scholarship funds, recipients will be presented with commemorative medallions, and their college presidents will receive commemorative obelisks.
The All-USA Academic Team is sponsored by Cengage, with additional support provided by Phi Theta Kappa and AACC.

“Community colleges play an important role in providing affordable education that helps students transition successfully to the workforce,” said Kevin Carlsten, Senior Vice President of the U.S. Higher Education Institutional Group at Cengage. “Unfortunately, community colleges felt the largest enrollment impact from the pandemic with a decline of nearly 15% in two years. We want to do all we can to support community college leaders and students with affordable access to quality education and are deeply inspired by the achievements of this year’s All-USA Academic Team, as prime examples of the power of learning.”

The All-USA program is widely recognized as the most prestigious academic honor for students attending associate degree-granting institutions. Each college may nominate two students for showing intellectual rigor and demonstrating academic achievement, leadership, and civic growth. The program also recognizes students who extend their community college education to better themselves, their schools, and their surrounding communities.

Learn more about the All-USA Academic Team Scholarship Program.

About Cengage

Cengage, the U.S. Higher Education business of global education technology company Cengage Group, serves millions of instructors, learners, and institutions. Cengage delivers affordable, high-quality digital products and personalized support to power learning individually and at scale. Cengage’s customer-centered approach enables innovation, including Cengage Unlimited, the first and only all-access digital subscription for textbooks and course materials. Cengage’s textbooks, homework tools, and flagship online learning platforms, MindTap and WebAssign, help educators and students achieve their goals. Visit Cengage at www.cengage.com/institutions or on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.

About Phi Theta Kappa

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 3.8 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.

About RVCC

Ranked by WalletHub.com and Niche.com as the #1 community college in New Jersey, Raritan Valley Community College has been serving as an academic and cultural center for Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for over 50 years. The College has been nationally recognized for its service to the community, environmental stewardship, and commitment to diversity. It is home to  a Planetarium, Science Education Institute and 3M Observatory; a Theatre offering professional performances for all ages; and an Honors College for high achieving students.

The College offers more than 90 associate degrees and certificates, as well as career training, small business assistance through the Small Business Development Center, and professional development courses. RVCC is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 4, 2022

Media contacts:

(RVCC) Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383

(Phi Theta Kappa) Caroline Sabsoul, caroline.moreno@ptk.org or 601-984-3580

PR #107