(Mar 14 2008) - ALL-CALIFORNIA ACADEMIC TEAM HONORS FOR TWO PC STUDENTS :
Post News : Post Editor -
“It is with a great amount of pride that we can announce that two of our students have been named to the Phi Theta Kappa All California Academic team. It has become almost a tradition that we have students make that prestigious group each year. It is a sign of the excellent instructors and programs we have at Porterville College, and of the quality of students”, said Dr. Rosa Carlson, President of Porterville College.
Carly Ranson and Ma Kimlyn Billones are the recipients of the honors this year, and will be recognized on the Senate and Assembly floor at the state Capitol, in addition to a luncheon and ceremony at the Convention Center in Sacramento. The students are honored by not only their academic achievements, but their service to the community.
Carly grew up in the Porterville area, attending Rockford and Monache schools, where she was very active in music, student council, spirit club, and other activities. She chose PC to attend because her sisters had gone there, and the most reasonable costs compared to other colleges. She now calls the PC experience the best two years of her life. She says the instructors have been invaluable and that they love their job and love to see students learn. She said they will do anything to help students, and in a friendly way. She has stayed active on campus in PTK, helping with fund-raisers and other service needs. She has been a volunteer clerk in the pharmacy at Sierra View District Hospital, and hopes to become a pharmacist.
There are only five schools in California that offer that major and she said that she has applied at all and will go to whichever one accepts her. She will graduate in May and finish her requirement of Organic Chemistry at another school. She has earned several scholarships while at PC, including a national one from Coca-Cola. As for her main goal, she wants to do research for the cure of Parkinsons and MS diseases.
Kim is a native of the Phillipines, where she completed her high school education. She was president of the student body and participated in several community projects. One of them was Youth Aid For Kids, which was a fund-raiser to provide books, clothes, etc. for underprivileged children. She moved to this area with her mother, step-father, and younger brother, settling into Posey, a small mountain town. Her parents have jobs in Porterville, so they drive their son to Hope school, and Kim to Porterville College each day. It is about a one hour drive each way for them.
Kim has accumulated a GPA of 3.87 and has been active in PTK activities, such as Books For Africa; food drive for a local school, and recycling drive on campus. She will graduate this spring and has applied for the RN program at PC. She wants to become a nurse and will select her specialty field during the training. Kim said she just wants to be able to serve her native country in the best way she can, and feels the nursing field will be the best way. She said about her Porterville College experience, “ I love it and have had the most helpful associations with my teachers and counselors. They are so qualified and very prepared for their classes. It is because of them that I have been able to win this award.”.
For more info -- Contact Mr. Monte Moore Dir. of Public Information at 791-2209
