National PTK Recognizes FSW Student for Excellence

March 28, 2018 – FORT MYERS, FLA – Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) student Summer Chrzescian, 19, was in shock after hearing she had been nominated for the 2018 All-US Academic Team, a Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society program recognizing the best two-year college students in the nation.
Chrzescian’s original goal had been to make the All-Florida Academic Team to help pay for attending Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in the fall. She made the state team – along with fellow FSW students Idea Andrade and Jordan Sutphin – but was also nominated to represent FSW at the national level. Earlier this month she was recognized as a Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar.
“I was in complete tears of joy,” she said. “I had only been aiming for the Florida team so going beyond that was amazing.”
Students are nominated for the state or national academic teams by a college administrator and selection is based on academic achievement, leadership, and engagement in college and community service. As one of 150 students chosen nationwide, Chrzescian will receive a scholarship from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.
In her two years at FSW, she served as president of the college’s PTK Omicron Epsilon Chapter on the Thomas Edison (Lee) Campus, worked as a Peer Mentor, and was inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. As a member of the FSW Honors Scholar Program, she also studied how political systems affect their citizenry in Nicaragua and participated in the Model United Nations simulation at Harvard University.
Chrzescian, a first generation college student from Naples High School, will be graduating from FSW in May and transferring to FGCU to continue studying Finance. Inspired by her study abroad trip to Nicaragua, she wants to work with an international service organization.
“After coming back from Nicaragua I decided that I wanted to travel for a living,” she said. “I’ve been traveling for years and I love it.”
PTK’s mission is to recognize the academic achievement of college students and to provide opportunities for them to grow as scholars and leaders. It is the largest honor society in American higher education with 1,280 chapters on college campuses in all 50 of the United States and it’s recognized as the official honor society for community colleges by the American Association of Community Colleges.
Student organizations and clubs at FSW enhance the student experience through community service, leadership development, social events, peer mentoring, recreation and more. Keeping students engaged is part of the college’s “Dedicate to Graduate” initiative, which provides the tools and services they need to graduate.
Take a look at how FSW students get involved at www.FSW.edu/engage and learn more about PTK at www.PTK.org or www.FSW.edu/ptk.
Florida SouthWestern State College is Southwest Florida’s largest and one of the most affordable institutions of higher education. Annually serving nearly 22,000 students globally, FSW offers a variety of nationally-ranked, career-focused academic programs with two- and four-year degrees, and professional certifications. Students are also active in clubs and programs catered to their interests. FSW debuted its intercollegiate athletics program in January 2016. Visit www.FSW.edu for more information.