Michael Rodriguez, recent graduate of Hillsborough Community College in Florida, has received the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) President’s Award for Leadership Excellence, a two-year transfer scholarship of up to $30,000 each academic year. He served as PTK’s 2022-2023 International Vice President of Division II, one of the highest leadership positions in the organization.
“As an international officer, Michael has been a leader and an influencer among his peers,” said PTK President and CEO, Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner. “Over the past year, Michael worked hard to amplify the message of CCsmart, PTK’s national campaign to redefine community college as the smart path to higher education. In his travels, he courageously communicated about his struggles — inspiring many other students to stay positive and keep working hard.”
Among his accomplishments for the year, Michael wrote about transfer success. His research on transfer helped Phi Theta Kappa guide members to get the most out of the PTK Catalyst Transfer Fair held at PTK’s 2023 International Convention. He was a top fundraiser for PTK’s 2022 Scholar Dash, an annual 5K raising funds to cover PTK membership for deserving students. Michael graduated at the top of his class with his AA degree in Architecture, and beginning this fall, he will be majoring in Interior Design at the University of San Francisco. The PTK Board of Directors nominates and selects the President’s Award for Leadership Excellence recipient. The award is presented to an outstanding member showing exemplary service, leadership, and dedication to the advancement of the mission and ideals of the Society. It is the highest honor given by the PTK Board of Directors.