Colorado PERA-Sponsored Rising Star Awards Bestows Leadership Recognition Upon 27 Community College Student Leaders from Across Colorado

Pictured are the student leaders and their presidents from 13 community colleges that were honored at the April 11, 2017 Colorado Community College System Rising Star Awards. (Photo: Business Wire)

LITTLETON, Colo.--()--The 2017 Colorado Community College System’s Rising Star Awards Ceremony and Honorary Luncheon was held on April 11 at Arapahoe Community College’s Littleton Campus (ACC). The Colorado Community College System, its State Student Advisory Council (SSAC) and ACC produced the event. The event was sponsored by the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (Colorado PERA).

The annual Rising Star Awards Ceremony is designed to recognize the outstanding contributions of students and staff across the Colorado Community College System to college activities and community service. Honorees must show a high level of involvement in campus leadership/activities, be enrolled in at least nine credit hours at the time of their nomination and have a GPA of 3.0.

Each of the 13 CCCS community colleges selected two student recipients who exemplify the best in service and leadership to receive the Rising Star Award. Additionally, SSAC used the event to recognize a statewide Rising Star state-wide staff Advocate of the Year for supporting students and student activities in an exemplary way. This year’s Advocate of the Year was presented to Red Rocks Community College Coordinator of Student Activities Mark Squire.

SSAC Chair Adonis Jaramillo and SSAC Secretary Alana Mitchell presided over the event. Colorado PERA Chief Communications Officer Tara May and CCCS President Dr. Nancy McCallin both gave insightful speeches to the student-leader honorees about the keys to successful leadership.

Each of the presidents of the 13 CCCS Colleges was on hand to present their honorees with a commemorative plaque and pose for a commemorative photograph with their honorees and Dr. McCallin.

Students receiving the 2017 Rising Star Award were:

● Arapahoe Community College       Mark D’Agosta and Leah Porter
● Colorado Northwestern Community College Laura Secules (Craig Campus) and Matthew Sandin (Rangely Campus)
● Community College of Aurora Christopher Doyle and Ulises Venegas Rivera
● Community College of Denver Lisa Marie Fertman and Xzavier Thompson
● Front Range Community College Madeline Seltzer (Boulder County Campus) and Stasi Bayer (Westminster Campus)
● Lamar Community College Mia Cory and Kamani Morris
● Morgan Community College Amy Bernabe and Heidi Gerkin
● Northeastern Junior College Megan Gerk and Gavin Fitzgerald
● Otero Junior College Serena Rife and Clay West
● Pikes Peak Community College Adonis Jaramillo and Annmatie Rose
● Pueblo Community College Michele Barnes and Thomas Martinez
● Red Rocks Community College Natasha Albrecht and Duncan Smith
● Trinidad State Junior College Prospero Dalimot and Ainsley Ridgeway
 

Contacts

Colorado Community College System
Barbara McDonnell, 303-595-1641

Release Summary

On April 11, the Rising Star Awards Ceremony recognized the outstanding contributions of 27 students and staff across the Colorado Community College System to college activities and community service.

Contacts

Colorado Community College System
Barbara McDonnell, 303-595-1641