All-Washington Academic Team

Hosted by South Puget Sound Community College

About the All-Washington Academic Team

The All-Washington Academic Team program recognizes and honors our state's finest higher education students. The students who make up the All-Washington (All-WA) Team reflect the diversity of the state, maintain high standards of excellence, and contribute positively to the community. Their stories are often inspiring, sometimes surprising, and always reflective of the larger story of the state's community and technical college students.

The program has become the showcase for Washington's community and technical colleges because it honors the academic high achievers, the individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to success in the classroom and in the communities in which they live. This recognition demonstrates the state's commitment to scholarship and community service on the part of those attending the state's public community and technical colleges.

Congratulations to the top scholars from Washington's community and technical colleges!

Bellevue College 
Josaphat Boesinga 
Isadora Pereira Da Silva 
Anagha Rao

Bellingham Technical College 
Josabet Acevedo-Lara 
Taylor Hill 
Mitchel Monge Torres

Big Bend Community College 
Adalee Bauer 
Alejandra Cerna 
Leslie Estrada Vera 
Yuridia Juarez

Cascadia College 
Aamena Ellithy 
Zuah Han

Centralia College 
Maya Hankins 
Van Nguyen 
Valerie Varner

Clark College 
Alexander Cole 
Addison Johnson 
Ethan Mahan 
Lisa Segretto

Clover Park Technical College 
Chas Gardner 
Marco Leon

Columbia Basin College 
Daniel Contreras 
Gilberto Lazaro 
Amanda Salsbury

Edmonds College 
Louella Cook 
Xiang Gao 
Dariga Rakhat

Everett Community College 
Shu Liu 
Quynh Luu 
Claire Payne

Grays Harbor College 
Emily Gry 
Charles Gumecindo 
Lillie Perdue

Green River College 
Karizsa Lopez 
Yun-Tung Chen 
Angie Milena Lemos Garrido

Highline College 
Maureen Ondatto 
Grace Thykkuttathil

Lake Washington Institute of Technology 
Aigerim Alykulova 
Monika Jain

Lower Columbia College 
Isha Sarah Snow 
Micah Boursaw 
Lillian Williams-Chambers

North Seattle College 
Yaser Alshammari 
Christina Dolinski

Olympic College - Bremerton Campus 
Matthew Fee 
Allison Larsen

Olympic College - Shelton Campus 
Evelyn Flores 
Leah Ozuna Montano

Peninsula College 
Christina Ballew 
Jason Peters 
Mark Sims 
Spencer Smith

Pierce College – Fort Steilacoom 
Martine Bedimo-Mbia 
Samuel Cortez Dolores 
Hailey Daniels

Pierce College – Puyallup Campus 
Sirena Jove 
Maria Simmons 
Robert Spicer 
Raela Thompson-Irby

Seattle Central College 
Erdenetuya Batgerel

Shoreline Community College 
Danielle Baker 
Isabella Briones 
Chimezirim Emeka 
Joshua Fox

Skagit Valley College - Mt. Vernon Campus 
Kjrstie Baumgardner 
Jessica Hill 
Megan Smith

South Puget Sound Community College 
Richard Beckman 
Madison Hehemann 
Pushpinder Kaur 
Tracie Martinez

South Seattle College 
Owen Heit 
Quynh Nguyen

Spokane Community College 
Molly Foxx 
Helen Melake

Spokane Falls Community College 
Jennifer Fields 
Hsu Wai Hnin Kyaw

Tacoma Community College 
Ma. Paula Amores 
John Plinka

Walla Walla Community College 
Kyle Bailey 
Michael Cantu 
Cameron Johnson 
Sam Kubishta

Wenatchee Valley College - Main Campus 
Tamela Browning 
Maleigha Peterson 
Leila Tall

Whatcom Community College 
Devin Chen 
Yekaterina Datskaya

Yakima Valley College 
Nancy Arzaga 
Kenia Chavez

Thursday, April 25, 2024, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Event Program

11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Arrive For Photos

12 - 12:30 p.m. Lunch Buffet

12:30 p.m. Ceremony & Livestream Begins

12:45 p.m. Gov. Jay Inslee Keynote

1:30 p.m. Ceremony Ends

1:30 - 2 p.m. Time For Additional Photos

RSVP for the Ceremony

Each college should RSVP for a half table (4 people), a full table (8 people), or not attending. Limited overflow seating is available by request. Each college should RSVP one time through their President's Office.

College RSVP Form >

Note: All-WA scholars and their family and friends should contact their college if they wish to attend. Please do not submit a separate RSVP form.

Event Location

SPSCC Lacey Campus
Building 1
4220 6th Ave SW
Lacey, WA 98503

Campus Map >

Watch the Ceremony Livestream

The ceremony will be livestreamed on the SPSCC YouTube channel.

The livestream will begin at 12:30 p.m. and will run approximately one hour.

2025 All-WA Ceremony

Thursday, April 24, 2025, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

SPSCC Lacey Campus
Building 1
4220 6th Ave SW
Lacey, WA 98503

Campus Map
WA Gov. Jay Inslee smiles with two students wearing medallions around their neck

Photo: Gov. Jay Inslee with two top All-WA scholars at the 2023 ceremony.

Sponsors

Program Sponsors

The following organizations support the 2024 All-Washington Academic Team program:

  • Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges
  • Washington State Association of College Trustees
  • State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
  • Phi Theta Kappa, the International Honor Society of the Two-Year College

Scholarship Sponsors

The following organizations provide scholarship support to the students on the 2024 All-Washington Academic Team:

  • KeyBank: $217 awarded to every team member.
  • Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU): $750 awarded to the top 16 team members.
  • Washington State Association of College Trustees: $1,000 awarded to top 3 team members.

Thank you generous scholarship sponsors! KeyBank, WSECU, and Washington State Association of College Trustees

Resources

How many guests can I bring to the ceremony?

Each college can reserve up to eight seats. Please get in touch with your college's PTK Coordinator to know how many seats are available. Some overflow seating will be available.

What if I can't attend the ceremony?

Your medallions, certificates, programs, and scholarship checks will be mailed to your college. You can still watch and celebrate by watching the livestream on YouTube.

Should I thank the Scholarship Sponsors?

Absolutely! We highly recommend taking the time to thank the Scholarship Sponsors. Their contact information has been provided below:

KeyBank

Brian Marlow
KeyBank President, South Puget Sound
1101 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98402

and

I.V. Reeves, Jr.
VP Regional Corporate Responsibility Officer & Community Relations Manager
1101 Pacific Ave.
Tacoma, WA 98402

WSECU

Carole Washburn, Chair, Board of Directors
WSECU
PO Box WSECU
Olympia, WA 98507

and

Doug Mah, Board Secretary
WSECU
PO Box WSECU
Olympia, WA 98507

Trustee Scholarships

Pat Shuman, President
Washington State Association of College Trustees
PO Box 42495
Olympia, WA 98504-2495

Don't see your question answered here?

You can address your questions about the All-Washington Academic Team Program and Ceremony to Kati Sagawa, SPSCC Director of Marketing & Communications, at ksagawa@spscc.edu.

Phi Theta Kappa, the International Honor Society for Two Year Colleges, introduced the All-USA Academic Team to recognize and honor two-year college students for their scholastic achievement and community and college service.

In 1994, state-level academic teams were introduced as a way to provide scholarships and scholastic recognition to Phi Theta Kappa members, while promoting excellence at two-year colleges. Students nominated to the All-USA Academic Team are automatically named to their state team.

In 1996, Washington launched its state program. A steering committee comprised of community and technical college presidents, Phi Theta Kappa representatives, public information officers from two-year colleges and representatives from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges put together the first recognition ceremony in the Governor’s Mansion. The ceremony honored 44 students representing 24 community and technical colleges.

Today, the All-Washington Academic Team includes students representing the 34 community and technical colleges in Washington state. The program has become the showcase for Washington’s community and technical colleges because it honors the academic high achievers: those who have demonstrated a commitment to success in the classroom and in the communities in which they live. This recognition demonstrates the state’s commitment to scholarship and community service on the part of those attending the state’s public community and technical colleges.

Washington’s public and independent four-year colleges and universities have recognized the outstanding accomplishments of the members of the All-Washington Academic Team by offering a variety of scholarship support. Below is the list of the support offered to the 2024 All-Washington Academic Team members who transfer to their institutions.

College Number Offered Amount Description Contact
Public 4-Year Institutions:
Central Washington University Any $1,000 Central Washington University will offer $1,000 scholarships to any member of the 2024 All-Washington Team who enrolls in the University in fall 2024 scholarships@cwu.edu, 509-963-3066
Eastern Washington University 1 $2,000 Eastern is offering a $2,000 scholarship to one member of the 2024 All-Washington Team to attend the university Fall 2024 through Spring 2025. If more than one team member enrolls, Eastern will determine who receives the scholarship through a competitive application process. If the recipient maintains a 3.5 cumulative GPA, the scholarship may be renewed for a second year totaling $4,000.  

Eastern further encourages team members to apply for other EWU scholarship opportunities by applying at ewu.edu/scholarships, "Apply Now!" The complete application is due on or before Feb. 1, 2024 for the 2024-25 school year.		 Kandi Teeters, Director, EWU Financial Aid Scholarship Office, kteeters@ewu.edu, 509-359-6384
The Evergreen State College Any $1,500 The Evergreen State College is offering a $1,500 scholarship to the Top 16 members of the 2024 All-Washington Team who enrolls at the college. The Undergraduate Scholarship Office, UndergraduateScholar@evergreen.edu, 360-867-6340
University of Washington 10 $8,000 UW will award tuition waiver scholarships to ten 2024 All-Washington team members who transfer to the Seattle, Bothell or Tacoma campuses. Each award will have a maximum value of $8,000 and will be distributed over a two-year period ($4,000 maximum each year). Recipients must enroll in at least 12 credits each quarter and make satisfactory progress toward a degree. If more than ten team members enroll in UW, the university will determine who receives the scholarships.  

UW encourages team members interested in transferring to notify the university of their intentions as soon as possible.		 Carlos Williams, Office of Admissions, clwilli@u.washington.edu, 206-221-5416
Washington State University 10 $2,000 Each year, Washington State University will award scholarships to ten All-Washington Academic Team members who transfer to any of the university's campuses. The $2,000 scholarships are non-renewable. If more than ten team members enroll in WSU, the university will determine who receives the scholarships. 

WSU encourages interested team members to notify Student Financial Services as soon as possible.		 Tara Sandoval, Assistant Director, Scholarship Administration, scholarships@wsu.edu, 509-335-9711
Western Washington University Any $2,500 Western Washington University recognizes the accomplishments of All-Washington Academic Team with a guaranteed minimum of $2,500 in combined scholarships to those members who enroll in the University. Cezar Mesquita, Director of Admissions, cezar.mesquita@wwu.edu, 360-650-4350
Private 4-Year Institutions:
Gonzaga University 3 $13,000-$27,000 Gonzaga University will consider all 2024 All-Washington Academic Team members for merit scholarships ranging from $13,000-$27,000. In addition, any student who has achieved Phi Theta Kappa recognition will receive an additional $3,000. Kelly Wentz, Director of Financial Aid, finaid@gonzaga.edu, 509-313-6582
Pacific Lutheran University 5 $1,000 Pacific Lutheran University is offering up to five $1,000 scholarships to 2024 All-Washington Academic Team members who enroll at the university. If more than five members enroll, PLU will determine who receives the scholarships. Sara Christensen, Director of Financial Aid, christsm@plu.edu, 253-535-7461
Saint Martin's University Any $5,000 Saint Martin's University will offer $5,000 scholarships ($2,500 per year) to any All-Washington Academic Team member who enrolls at the university. In addition, Saint Martin's offers scholarships of $1,000 for PTK members who have completed an associates degree or have junior standing. Patricia Lemon, Director of Admissions, plemon@stmartin.edu, 360-688-2104
Seattle University Any Varies Members of Phi Theta Kappa are eligible for a $1500 scholarship (in addition to any merit scholarship already being received) and an application fee waiver. Transfer students who complete an admissions application to Seattle University are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.  
*Please note: This is general scholarship consideration available to all transfer students who apply at Seattle University.		 Kari Berkas, Assistant Director of Admissions – Transfer Recruitment, berkask@seattleu.edu, 206-296-5811
University of Puget Sound 3 $2,000 The University of Puget Sound is proud to offer a $2,000 scholarship to each current All-Washington Academic Team member who enrolls at Puget Sound. The scholarship will be granted in addition to any other academic scholarships the student might receive, and will be renewable for up to a maximum of ten semesters, provided that the student maintains full-time enrollment and meets the guidelines for satisfactory academic progress. Interested students are encouraged to notify the University of their intentions as soon as possible. Torri Henson, Associate Director of Admission & Transfer Admission Coordinator, thenson@pugetsound.edu, 253-879-3608
Walla Walla University Any $1,000 Walla Walla University is offering $1,000 scholarships to any member of the 2024 All-Washington Academic Team who enrolls at the university. Trevor Congleton, Associate Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment Services, trevor.congleton@wallawalla.edu, 509-527-2256
Whitman College 5 $2,500 Whitman College is offering five $2,500 scholarships to 2024 All-Washington Academic Team members who enroll at Whitman. If more than five team members enroll, the college will determine who receives the scholarships. Karri Mickelson, Associate Director, mickelka@whitman.edu, 509-526-4782
Whitworth University 3 See Description All-Washington Academic Team members enrolling at Whitworth for 2024-25 are guaranteed a University Scholarship of $17,000-$30,000 per year, a $4,000 housing grant for students living on campus, a $1,000 Visit Scholarship for students who complete a qualifying visit event and a $1,500/year PTK Scholarship for students who are active PTK members for at least one full year prior to transferring to Whitworth. Josh Hibbard, VP Enrollment Management, jhibbard@whitworth.edu, 509-777-4580

Bates Technical College
Trevor Moore

Bellevue College
Janis Campbell
Joshua Lee
Rajbir Sandhu

Bellingham Technical College
Heather Briggs
Magda Dermendziev
Sarah Gamble
Mary Cris Rich

Big Bend Community College
Gina Todaro

Cascadia College
Josiah Aklog
Austin Picinich

Centralia College
Ethan Myers
Andrew Thompson

Clark College
Bruce Adams
Alexandia Kneipp
Ella Merusic

Clover Park Technical College
Laurel Behrend
M Gitchel-Compton
Petrina Sweet

Columbia Basin College
Narcili Berry
Mario Castaneda
Stephanie Hampton
Wendy Merrill

Edmonds College
Ahmad Hilal Abid
Shinhae Hwang

Everett Community College
Emily Backstrom

Grays Harbor College
Bonny Bray-Johnson
Amanda Wells

Green River College
Simonne Biller
Jangho Park
Ezza Sohail

Highline College
Dustin Cole

Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Hannah Lamb
Ibrahim Ouenzar

Lower Columbia College
Jaida Barrows
Quiana Daniels
Samantha Deleon
Nick Tinoco

Olympic College
Emma Johnson
Kiyrah Keith

Peninsula College
Chloe Baldino
Alex Zimpher

Pierce College – Fort Steilacoom
Vivian Llorens Hernandez
Tatyana Vashchenko

Pierce College – Puyallup Campus
Alena Withers

Seattle Central College
Kadijatou Dukureh
Khalid Mohamed
Hyunjoon Na
Karina Osma Perez

Shoreline Community College
Ali Ngamkitcharoenlap
Siu Hung Yip

Skagit Valley College - Mt. Vernon Campus
Sara Asrat
Stephanie Eerkes

Skagit Valley College - Whidbey Island Campus
Cesar Osornio Ramos

South Puget Sound Community College
Kelsey Christensen-Abel
David Stanton

South Seattle College
Luckson Lukau
Jennifer Norwood
Aellaheh Gamair Zare Khiabani

Spokane Community College
Mary Rose Beckham
Htut Myat Meddy Khin
Marilyn Smith
Mussi Tapang

Spokane Falls Community College
Natalia Petrova
Dylan Smith

Tacoma Community College
Josphine Mwangi
Madeline Sprute

Walla Walla Community College
Dylan Delange
Emmali Johnson

Wenatchee Valley College - Main Campus
Juddy Anyona

Wenatchee Valley College - Omak Campus
Tiffany Bryant

Whatcom Community College
Lisa Flick
Nakanlaya Tupsamphan

Yakima Valley College
Carlos Trejo-Perez

Student Photo & Bio Requirements

Each community and technical college with a student on the 2024 All-Washington Team is asked to provide a photograph and short bio of their students for the recognition ceremony booklet.

Bios and photo submission deadline is Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

Submit via the All-Washington Academic Team Student Bios form. Bios should be approximately 75 words. Photos should be high resolution and include only the student.

Note: Students should not submit directly to SPSCC; this is the responsibility of their College.

Submit Student Bio & Photo

Event RSVP

Each college should RSVP for a half table (4 people), a full table (8 people), or not attending. Limited overflow seating is available by request. Each college should RSVP one time through their President's Office.

College RSVP Form >

Deadlines & Important Dates

December 1 - Nominee applications due to PTK National
March 26 - All student bios and photos due to SPSCC
March - PTK notifies state nominees of national ranking
March - PTK announces Washington's New Century Scholar
March - National team announced on USA-Today
April 4-6 - PTK Catalyst at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, FL
April 15 - RSVP for your College
April 25 - All-Washington Academic Team Recognition Ceremony
October 23-26 - ACCT Leadership Congress at the Arch/Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, WA