MCCC Student Melisa Lee Earns National ‘New Century Scholar’ Award
|
April 11, 2008, Blue Bell/Pottstown, Pa.—Montgomery County Community College sophomore Melisa Lee, of Schwenksville, is one of only 50 students nationwide to be named a “New Century Scholar” by the American Association of Community Colleges and Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society for Community Colleges. As a New Century Scholar, Lee was awarded a $2,000 scholarship to facilitate the completion of bachelor’s degree upon transfer to a four-year institution. Lee became eligible for the New Century Scholar award as the highest scoring applicant in Pennsylvania for the All-USA Academic Team. She was also one of 45 students selected from the Commonwealth for the All-Pennsylvania Academic Team. This honor includes a tuition scholarship to any of the 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. |
 Melisa Lee (center) stands with Rod Risley, Executive Director of Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society, and Dr. Karen A. Stout, President of Montgomery County Community College, at the American Association of Community College’s annual conference in early April. |
Lee began her higher education journey in 2005, when she and her family relocated to Schwenksville, Pa. from Houston, Tex. A stay-at-home mom to her four children for many years, Lee toured the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell with a friend and registered for a few classes.
“I was born on the cusp of when women didn’t go to college, especially growing up in a small farming community,” she explained. “When I did decide to go to school at age 43, my goal was to get in and get out with a degree as soon as possible. I never thought I would be as successful as I have been.”
However, Lee soon realized that she could, indeed, be successful. Taking a full course load as a Liberal Studies major, she describes completing beginning and intermediate algebra as a turning point in her academic career.
“Math was always a challenge for me. I knew that if I ever failed, it would be because of math,” she said. “However, with the encouragement of math professor Richard Herbst, I passed the algebra courses and went on to complete pre-calculus. When I made the Dean’s List for the first time, I knew I had reached a turning point.”
In spring 2007, Lee was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society, soon becoming the vice president of fellowship with the College’s chapter Alpha Kappa Zeta. As a leader of Phi Theta Kappa, she single-handedly organized a community hair drive in coordination with a local salon to benefit Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that provides children who have experienced a total loss of scalp hair with custom, vacuum-fitted hairpieces made entirely from donated human hair. The drive raised 224 inches of hair.
Outside of school, Lee serves as a vacation bible school teacher at her church, and she volunteers at the post prom party for Perkiomen Valley High School. She also supports her family and friends by frequently caring for their children before and after school and during the summer.
In December 2007, Lee began working as a Peer Mentor in the College’s Student Success Center, helping her fellow students navigate the education process. She will graduate this May with an associate’s degree in Liberal Studies, and she will transfer to Kutztown University in the fall to major in Clinical or Industrial Psychology.
Listen to MCCC on the Air as Dr. Stout interviews Melisa Lee.
