STLCC-Forest Park Honors Emerging Scholars

Seven students were recently honored at the annual Emerging Scholars Awards Banquet at St. Louis Community College-Forest Park.

To qualify for the honor, students must take at least two or more developmental courses in English, math or reading and completed 24 or more college-level credit hours at STLCC-Forest Park while maintaining a 3.5 grade-point average or above. Students who meet the criteria are invited to apply for the Emerging Scholars award.

“This is an incredible opportunity for us all of us to recognize our students who have done extraordinary work and already achieved a milestone in their educational journey,” said Efrem Negash, Emerging Scholars committee chair and professor of mathematics. “What an honor it is to witness their accomplishments at the College and the fruit of their incredible hard work. I encourage these outstanding students to continue pressing forward and to know this is only the beginning of many great achievements to come that they might not have even imagined.”

The Emerging Scholars received an award and certificate during the ceremony on Nov. 17. Faculty or staff who were identified by the students as having made the most significant impact on their success were also recognized as “Mentors.”

This year’s Emerging Scholars and Mentors are:

• Leah Buckingham – Cynthia Ballentine, occupational therapy
• Shaunte Cain – Jasmine Marshall, child & family development; Patty Smith, education
• Ashley Cortez – Carol Nixon, child & family development; Jasmine Marshall, child & family development
• Jyoti Diwan – Teresa Alvarez, biological sciences; Deborah Bush Munson, dental assisting
• Austin James Hallett – Ellen Piazza, hotel/motel/restaurant management
• Rewa Kaziz – Emily Albers, surgical technology
• Mercedez Kemper – Marita Jason, English; Efrem Negash, mathematics; Bruce Munson, psychology

Four Emerging Scholars received $75 bookstore credit and three scholarships were awarded based on financial need.

The Emerging Scholars program was established in 1996 to recognize academic excellence and encourage students taking developmental courses. Since then, the program has been adopted districtwide and provided students with thousands of dollars in scholarships.

For more information about STLCC’s Emerging Scholars program or to donate to it, contact the STLCC Foundation at 314-539-5472.

(In the group photo above, STLCC-Forest Park’s newest class of Emerging Scholars are, from left, Jyoti Diwan, Ashley Cortez, Shaunte Cain, Austin Hallett, Mercedez Kemper and Rewa Kaziz. Not pictured is Leah Buckingham.)