21-year-old Kimberly Davis comes from a single parent home and is one of five children. Although her entire family faces barriers, Santa Ana College (SAC) has become a family tradition–where both her mother and brother attended and completed their two-year requirements.

Even though her mother is a single parent, she worked two jobs and attended Santa Ana College part-time. “When I was a young girl, I remember doing my homework with my brothers in the library while my mom went to classes, and everyone on campus was so nice to us,” said Kimberly. “I knew that one day I would attend SAC too.”

Kimberly attended SAC after graduating from high school in 2004. “Of course there are other colleges I could have attended, which are closer to my home, but I chose to go to SAC because of the programs, reputation and success my family has experienced there.”

Throughout her studies at SAC, she continued to maintain over a 3.0 grade point average and served as president of Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society. During her last year at SAC, Kimberly set the goal of making Phi Theta Kappa’s Academic Team. This program provides recognition at the state level for top community college students and annually recognizes some 60 outstanding students throughout the 109 California community colleges.

Defying all odds, Kimberly met the program’s requirements and was selected out of hundreds of applicants as a member of the 2007 Phi Theta Kappa All-California, Third Academic Team. On March 29, Kimberly traveled to Sacramento, Calif., to be honored for this prestigious recognition. “I set a goal of achieving the Phi Theta Kappa, and I’m honored to have been chosen to represent Santa Ana College.”

After six semesters, she met her transfer requirements and was ready to move to the university level at the end of the 2007 spring semester. Kimberly is transferring to the University of Southern California (USC), where she will major in public relations. “SAC prepared me to transfer, and I’m now ready to start a new challenge at USC.”

She completed her internship as a production assistant for “Entertainment Tonight,” and plans on focusing her career in the entertainment industry after graduation from USC.

In her free time, Kimberly volunteers at Stepping Up, a not-for-profit organization, where she works with youth to assist them in meeting their goals. Kimberly constantly sets goals for herself and takes things one step at a time.

“Since I come from a single parent home, the odds are against me. I’m determined, and nothing is going to stop me, unless I let it. So when things are against me, I am more determined to finish,” continued Kimberly.

About Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society is the largest honor society in American higher education with 1,200 chapters on two-year and community college campuses in all 50 of the United States, Canada, Germany, the Republic of Palau, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, the British Virgin Islands, the United Arab Emirates and U.S. territorial possessions. More than two million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918, with approximately 100,000 students inducted annually.