Two Warren County Community College students were recently recognized statewide for their academic achievements.
Each year, the New Jersey Council of Community Colleges honors New Jersey’s top community college students and their families during the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Day Celebration. PTK Day is a day of celebration and recognition by state legislators, college presidents and faculty advisors. The event, held in Trenton, officially recognizes the members of the New Jersey All-State Academic Team, sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for community colleges, and the New Jersey Education Association.
Dorothy Helmken and Matthew Miller of Warren County Community College were among this year’s recipients from throughout the state.
Helmken, President of WCCC’s PTK chapter, is no stranger to “recognition.” She has earned many awards and accolades the past two years while at WCCC, including “New Century Pathways Transfer Scholar“ and as a “Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar.”
Helmken, a resident of Mansfield Township, is graduating with a major in Elementary and Secondary Education. Bound for Drew University, she is planning on becoming a Math and Science teacher at the Middle School grade levels.
At WCCC, Helmken has been involved with many programs and was selected to be the Student Speaker at this year’s Commencement on May 19. At the PTK event in Trenton, Helmken was one of two featured speakers as a result of her New Century Pathways recognition.
Dr. Will Austin, President of WCCC, referred to Helmken as “a leader who serves everybody else before herself” and a “driving force of our PTK program” in introducing her at the Trenton celebration.
Miller first came to WCCC on the VIPER program after two deployments as an Infantry Team Leader with Second Battalion, Seventh Marines. The VIPER program allowed him to transfer credits from the military and subsequently complete an associates degree in Applied Science with a focus in Business in about a year.
“I chose to return to WCCC after completing my first degree to go for the WCCC Nursing Program due to its high ranking among the States RN programs and the focus on individual students that comes from the small class size,” said Miller, a resident of Washington. He will be graduating with an Associates in Science, crediting “help from Dr. Anna Massimo, Professor Debra Schrek, Professor Patricia Stypolkowski, PTK Advisor Jean Vasko, Rose Lynch, and countless others” for his success.
To help celebrate in Trenton with Helmken and Miller, were Dr. Austin, WCCC Board of Trustee Chair Dr. Phil Linfante, and Trustees Yvonne Reitemeyer and Betti Singh.
Among the special guests at this year’s PTK event were NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney and Diana Gonzalez, Deputy Secretary of Higher Education in New Jersey.
Each year as part of this annual event, community college presidents raise nearly $1 million in scholarships from New Jersey’s senior institutions. These scholarships go to deserving community college students pursuing their bachelor’s degrees in New Jersey.
Photo, left to right, WCCC Trustee Chair Phil Linfante, Trustee Yvonne Reitemeyer, Matthew Miller, Dorothy Helmken, PTK Advisor Jean Vasko, Trustee Betti Singh, and Dr. Will Austin, President of WCCC.
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