Miami, March 9, 2023 – Carlen Arevalo, a student of The Honors College at Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Padron Campus is one of only 20 selected for the prestigious All-USA Academic Team. The award recognizes students for intellectual achievement, leadership, community and campus engagement. More than 2,400 students were nominated for this award. She will be recognized during the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) convention in April.
“Carlen is a true testament to perseverance, humbleness, and service, said Dr. Diego Tibaquirá, MDC professor and PTK advisor. “She has looked for every opportunity to help others and make a difference in people’s lives.
A daughter of Salvadoran immigrants who struggled to learn English as a child, Arevalo will graduate from MDC next month with honors and has applied to several top transfer schools, including Columbia University, to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing.
At MDC, she served as vice president of Scholarship and Leadership for the Beta Kappa Iota chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). She cofounded the Honors in Action project Let’s P.L.A.Y. (Purpose, Learn, Apply, Young-at Heart), which promotes play as both an education and recreational tool to achieve a more productive and healthier lifestyle. She is also passionate about giving back to the community, devoting many hours to packing food and toiletries for homeless individuals and volunteering at food distribution events for low-income families and seniors.
Arevalo oversees her PTK chapter’s Good Neighbor College Project focused on promoting health and wellbeing. She is also a community leader for Meraki Youth Organization, through which she helps coordinate service events that support climate justice, immigration rights and cancer awareness. She hopes to continue giving back and inspiring others.
“Just like PTK once shaped me into the leader I am today, I too want to encourage others to discover far beyond their skills and use them to carry on with the Beta Kappa Iota chapter legacy,” Arevalo said.
The All-USA program is widely recognized as the most prestigious academic honor for students attending associate degree-granting institutions. Colleges may nominate up to 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 surrounding communities. Learn more about the All-USA Academic Team Scholarship Program.
The All-USA Academic Team is sponsored by Cengage with additional support from PTK and AACC. Cengage’s industry-leading subscription for textbooks and materials, Cengage Unlimited has helped over 4.8 million students save over $580 million on the cost of course materials since 2018. To learn more, visit www.cengage.com.
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 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.