Recently, Dr. Bonahue and a group of college administrators set up a surprise for graduating student-veteran Joseph Gonzalez of West Babylon. Joe entered the room to a rousing round of applause and was surprised with the wonderful news that he just won the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The scholarship provides up to $55,000 annually to complete a bachelor’s degree. Of nearly 1,700 applicants from 380 community colleges, it is awarded to only 60 students nationally. Joe is graduating next week with a 4.0 GPA. During his time at Suffolk, he held key student leadership positions including PTK Chapter President, President of Student Veterans of America, Honors Club President, and History Club Vice President. He is a Get There From Here scholar and a recipient of the David R. Pierce Scholarship, presented to a scholar selected from among the year’s Phi Theta Kappa All-USA Academic Team. He is the college’s first Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship recipient since 2019. He is currently evaluating where to complete his bachelor’s degree and is considering Columbia University and Princeton University. Joe, you are truly one of a kind!
Suffolk County Community College Student Joseph Gonzalez of West Babylon was selected to the Prestigious 2024 All-USA Academic Team. Hi-res photo available at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/BDc1ExcnX5sz5rNQ7
Suffolk County Community College announced today that Joseph Gonzalez has been selected as one of 20 college students nationwide named to the prestigious 2024 All-USA Academic Team. Selected from more than 2,200 nominees, Mr. Gonzalez will receive a $5,000 scholarship. He will also be recognized during the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) annual convention in Louisville, KY in April.
Gonzalez was recognized for his academic achievements, campus and community engagement and overall leadership. A Liberal Arts-History major from West Babylon, NY, he excels with a 4.0 GPA and consecutive Dean’s List recognition for the last two years. He holds key leadership positions, including PTK Chapter President, President of Student Veterans of America, Honors Club President, and History Club Vice President. Gonzalez is a Get There From Here scholar and an Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Tutor.
“One cornerstone of Suffolk County Community College’s dedication to excellence is fostering an academically rigorous environment for our students and avenues in which they can excel,” said Dr. Edward Bonahue, President of Suffolk County Community College. “We take great pride in Joseph’s achievements and applaud him for his perseverance, dedication, and remarkable contributions to both academic and community service endeavors.”
The All-USA program is among the nation’s premier academic honors for students pursuing an associate degree. The program, sponsored by education technology provider Cengage in collaboration with Phi Theta Kappa, also honors students who leverage their community college experience to better themselves, improve their schools and impact their communities.
The PTK All-USA Community College Academic Team seeks to recognize excellent students from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Students must excel in the classroom, demonstrate the intellectual curiosity to pursue academic, career and cultural enrichment outside the classroom, and show evidence of substantial development of talents in academic and technical education and an ability to share this development with others.
About Suffolk County Community College
Suffolk County Community College is the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling approximately 21,000 students at its three campuses in Selden, Brentwood and Riverhead. Suffolk offers the Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), and Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, as well as a variety of certificate programs. Offering affordable college tuition, a highly respected Honors program, workforce training programs, extensive extracurricular activities, championship athletic teams, and numerous transfer programs, Suffolk is a first-choice college for Long Island students. Visit us online at sunysuffolk.edu.
Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Eta Gamma Alumni Chapter 