UT System and TACC honor outstanding community college students at 2024 All-Texas Academic Team Medallion Ceremony

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Texas’ top community college students today were honored at the 2024 All-Texas Academic Team Medallion Ceremony, hosted by The University of Texas System and the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC) at UT San Antonio.

The event, which featured a keynote address from Elizabeth Mayer, assistant commissioner of academic and health affairs at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, recognized a total of 181 students from 49 Texas community colleges for outstanding achievement. A video highlighting honorees can be viewed here or below.

“The All-Texas Academic Team Medallion Ceremony recognizes our state’s top-performing community college students and opens doors for their ongoing education and workforce opportunities,” said Nichole S. Prescott, PhD, UT System Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. “The UT System is proud to partner with TACC, recognizing the important value that community college students provide when they transfer into our four-year institutions. We are glad to celebrate their accomplishments and appreciate their contributions to our classrooms and campuses.”

 

Award winners were nominated by their respective institutions and selected by Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society for students from two-year colleges. Nominees were evaluated on several criteria, including academic achievement, community service, leadership and expression.

Two of the All-Texas scholars – Neida Perez of Northeast Texas Community College and Arianna Villarreal of Dallas College – will be recognized for their selection to the 2024 All-USA Academic Team. In addition to a $5,000 scholarship, Perez and Villarreal will receive a special medallion, and their college presidents will receive a commemorative obelisk in recognition of their leadership.

The All-USA program is widely recognized as the most prestigious academic honor for students seeking an associate degree or credential. Students are selected for their intellectual rigor, academic achievement, leadership and civic growth, and for extending their educational experiences to better themselves, their colleges and their surrounding communities. These students were nominated by their colleges for the scholarship program.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and the Coca-Cola Foundation provide additional scholarships to members of the All-Texas Academic Team. Nine students from Texas community colleges will receive these scholarship awards ranging from $1,000 to $2,250. Scholarship winners include:

Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholars ($1,500 scholarship award)

  • Cameron Flores, Dallas College
  • Nathan Hogan, Tyler Junior College
  • Simrah Sajjad, Collin College
  • Kami Taylor, North Central Texas College
  • Alan Tovar, Collin College

Coca-Cola Academic Team Silver Scholars ($1,250 scholarship award)

  • Jordan Carnegie, Tyler Junior College
  • Nathan Gray, Collin College
  • Jersey Johnson, Collin College

Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholars ($1,000 scholarship award)

  • Justin Carroll, Tyler Junior College

Coca-Cola New Century Transfer Scholar ($2,250 scholarship award)

  • Neida Perez, Northeast Texas Community College

Coca-Cola New Century Workforce Scholar ($1,250 scholarship award)

  • Annabelle Phillips, Kilgore College

About The University of Texas System

With 14 institutions that enroll over 256,000 students overall, the UT System is the largest university system in Texas and one of the largest public university systems in the United States. UT institutions produced over 63,000 graduates last year and awarded more than one-third of the undergraduate degrees in Texas, as well as 60% of the state's medical degrees. The combined efforts of UT-owned and affiliated hospitals and clinics resulted in over 10.6 million outpatient visits and more than 2 million hospital days in 2023. UT’s $4.3 billion research enterprise is one of the nation’s most innovative, ranking No. 1 in Texas and No. 2 in the U.S. for federal research expenditures. With an operating budget of $29.1 billion for fiscal year 2024, UT institutions collectively employ more than 122,000 faculty, health care professionals, support staff and students.

News Contact Information

Catherine Frazier: cfrazier@utsystem.edu • 512-499-4360 (direct)