Two LCCC students named to 2024 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team

Two Luzerne County Community College students received high marks for their academic success recently.

The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges (PACCC) recently selected Emily Kaufman and Miguel Saldana as members of the 2024 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team. The PACCC honored them and other students from Pennsylvania's community colleges at a reception in Harrisburg. Additionally, Kaufman is a Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise scholarship recipient.*

"Emily and Miguel are excellent examples of the caliber of students we have here at Luzerne County Community College," said LCCC President Thomas P. Leary. "Our students are hard-working and committed to their educations. Our excellent programs combined with our dedicated faculty members ensure our students are getting the best education possible. As a student-centered institute of higher education, we are proud that we can help guide them and others on their individual paths so they can be ready to enter the local workforce."

The All-Pennsylvania Academic Team selected Kaufman and Saldana as outstanding transfer scholars. To be eligible, transfer students have to complete 36 credits at a community college and have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

As part of their scholarship award, Kaufman and Saldana will receive a tuition waiver to an eligible Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education university. Pennsylvania's community colleges partner with the PASSHE to provide the tuition waiver.

Tyler Russell, LCCC director of Student Life and Athletics, said he is proud of Emily and Miguel for being selected.

"Being selected as part of the PA-All Academic Team is such an honor," said Russell. "All they do and have done for college and the community is a testament to who they are as people. Emily and Miguel could not be a better representation of Luzerne County Community College in a room full of outstanding community college students from across the state. I can't wait to see what these two do in the future."

Both Kaufman and Saldana said they are pleased with the recognition.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to study as of yet but I do want to end up in a career where I can continue to help people and help improve the quality of their lives," Kaufman said of what her future plans will be.

Saldana said he is grateful for PACCC honoring him but said there are a lot of other wonderful students at the College who are just as deserving of the scholarship.

"I didn't think I was going to get this and I am so humbled by it," Saldana said. "My friend Justin Fischer at LCCC is someone I think is more deserving of this scholarship. He was such an inspiration to me. He was an adult learner and he inspired me to always be my best."