NRCC News

NRCC students nominated for 2020 PTK All-Virginia Academic Team

Apr 10 2020

This is an archived article!

This article was published on Apr 10 2020 and was archived on Apr 11 2021. The information below may be outdated or inaccurate.

Four New River Community College (NRCC) students have been nominated to the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) 2020 All-Virginia Academic team. NRCC PTK students Ramiro Banuelos-Haro, Keaton Hanks, Jessica Martin and Michaela Martin will receive medallions and certificates in recognition of this honor. Students from across the state are typically recognized by Virginia’s Community Colleges at an awards luncheon in Richmond, but the luncheon has been canceled due to the novel coronavirus.  From the group of Virginia Community College System students recognized, 10 will be eligible for national awards.

Banuelos-Haro is currently a business administration student at NRCC who lives in Radford. His academic plans include completing his associate degree at NRCC then transferring to Radford University to study marketing. Banuelos-Haro keeps busy with his three jobs while also working to complete his degree. He said he chose NRCC because the college would help bring out the best student in him and ultimately lead him to succeed in the future.

Hanks, from Pulaski County, is pursuing an associate degree in administrative support technology with a specialization in medical administrative support. He has already received his administrative support technology degree from NRCC and hopes to work in a medical office coding or as a receptionist after he finishes his second degree. Hanks says he chose NRCC to be close to family.

Jessica Martin, from Blacksburg, is studying business administration and visual communication design at NRCC and has already received a liberal arts associate degree. When she graduates this spring, she plans to transfer to Webster University in St. Louis, Mo. Jessica Martin is a part of the Access to Community College Education (ACCE) program at the college and said that NRCC was the best option financially for her.

Michaela Martin of Narrows is studying business management at NRCC. After finishing her degree, she hopes to one day open her own salon. Michaela Martin says she chose NRCC because of the ACCE program that provides tuition funding for two years.

PTK is an international honor society of two-year colleges and academic programs, particularly state colleges and community colleges, and the organization’s mission is to recognize academic achievement of college students and to provide opportunities for them to grow as scholars and leaders. To become a member of the Omega Eta chapter of PTK at NRCC, students must currently be enrolled at NRCC, have a minimum 3.2 cumulative grade point average, completed at least 12 non-developmental credits at NRCC. For more information on PTK at NRCC, contact faculty sponsors Brian Clark at bclark@nr.edu or Ellen Oliver at eoliver@nr.edu.