Luncheon Honors the Community College 2022 All-Michigan Academic Team

News

The annual Phi Theta Kappa Awards Luncheon, honoring the 2022 All-Michigan Academic Team, was held on Monday, March 7 in Lansing, Michigan. Students were selected based on academic achievement, community service involvement, and leadership accomplishment. The State Academic Teams are a division of the Academic All-American Team for Community, Technical and Junior College Students, an international program sponsored annually by Phi Theta Kappa and the American Association of Community Colleges.

Bay College congratulated Alexandria Miller, Dylan Messina, and Kayla Ling; they are Bay College’s representatives on the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-Michigan Academic Team.

Dylan Messina was named a 2022 Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar and will receive a $1,500 scholarship. “The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” said Jane Hale Hopkins, President of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa to make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals and support tomorrow’s leaders of the global community.” Dylan started his academic career at Bay College through the Dual Enrollment program at his high school and will graduate in the spring of 2022. Dylan has maintained a 3.85 GPA and will be transferring to Northern Michigan University to obtain a Computer Network Security Systems Bachelor degree. Dylan is an active member of Business Professionals of America, where he holds an Officer title and helps tutor fellow Bay College students. Matt Stewart, TRIO Academic Specialist at Bay College shares, “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Dylan since he joined our team as a Study Group Facilitator in August of 2021.  Dylan is always respectful, communicative, prompt, and dependable.  He is extremely patient with students and is able to explain very complex concepts at their level.  Students that work with Dylan have nothing but great things to say about him. We are very lucky to have him as part of our team and I am very proud of him for being chosen for the 2022 All-Michigan Academic Team.” Dylan is very active in his community where he coaches and mentors for a number of FIRST Robotics programs with Gladstone Area Schools.

Alexandria Miller will graduate in the spring of 2022 with an Associates in Business Administration. She has worked hard at maintaining a 3.6 GPA, while being a mom to four daughters. Alexandria completed an internship with KerberRose Wealth Management through Bay College and accepted a permanent position with the company in the hopes to continue to grow within the company. Alexandria is also an active member of her local church and serves as the Treasurer for the Aspiring Educators Club at Bay College. Alexandria shared, “I am very grateful to Bay College and all of their amazing instructors who encouraged me, mentored me, and helped me build the confidence that I have now. Without them, I would not have been able to apply for this honor, let alone be a part of the All-Michigan Academic Team.”

Kayla Ling moved to Michigan in 2007 from Texas to be closer to her family and spent majority of her adult life as caretaker for her mother. Following her mother’s passing, Kayla decided to enroll in the Social Work program at Bay College in search of a new purpose and quickly became absorbed by her classes. Since starting at Bay College, Kayla has enjoyed working with the TRIO program, both as a member and a peer mentor, as well as working in the West Campus food pantry and as a tutor for other students. In the future, Kayla plans to continue with her education to receive a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan-Flint and use her passion for helping others to become an advocate for children.

The Michigan luncheon is held every year in conjunction with the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA). Besides the All-Michigan Academic Team members, luncheon attendees included community college presidents, administrators and trustees, state legislators, and Phi Theta Kappa advisors.

Congratulations to Alexandria Miller, Dylan Messina, and Kayla Ling on behalf of your Bay College Family!