PPCC recently named Giselle (Jo) O’Rourke and Stefanie Pascetti as its nominees for the All-USA Community College Academic Team. Chosen for their academic excellence, leadership qualities and service activities both on- and off-campus, Lance Bolton, PPCC president, awarded each with $500 scholarships. Both nominees will attend a special Colorado Community College System-sponsored banquet honoring all the members of this year’s All-Colorado Academic Team.

The All-USA Community College Academic Team is presented by USA TODAY and Phi Theta Kappa and sponsored by Follett Higher Education Group. Twenty students will be selected to the national team, each receiving a $2,500 scholarship and medallion. These students will be featured in the USA TODAY newspaper and presented at Phi Theta Kappa’s Presidents Breakfast held during the Annual Convention of the American Association of Community Colleges Convention (AACC) April 23, 2012, in Orlando, Florida.

About Jo:

 Jo O’Rourke and her family live on their ranch in eastern Colorado. She returned to college after a 20-year hiatus because she wanted to follow her true passion, writing stories about working dogs. O’Rourke is majoring in English with a creative writing emphasis. When she isn’t studying or playing with her children, she volunteers as a service dog trainer for CQB K-9. This organization provides free assistance dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD and other combat-related traumas.

About Stefanie:

Stefanie Pascetti was born in Norway and attended college in Germany. After graduating as a certified translator in English and French, she married and moved to Colorado. There, she started working as a barista, volunteered as a Family Readiness Group (FRG) leader and began tutoring. During this time, Pascetti discovered her love for teaching, which prompted her to enroll at PPCC with dreams of becoming an English major. Currently serving as the president of the Alpha Gamma Alpha chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, Stefanie plans to graduate this spring with a 4.0 GPA and transfer to a four-year university. Ultimately, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D.