In April 2006, honor students, Amanda McKitterick and Vincent Murillo, were selected for the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-California Academic Third Team. The duo’s placement on the team kept Santa Ana College’s (SAC) nine-year streak in the competition alive. To honor the two students along with other members of the All-California Academic teams, an awards ceremony was held at the Sacramento Convention Center, where All-State Team members received special recognition, including medallions and certificates.

Being the official honor society for two-year colleges, PTK, carries out its’ mission to: recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students, and to provide them with opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership, service, and fellowship programming.

SAC’s PTK faculty advisers, Dr. Tom Osborne, Dr. Ginger Osborne and Kathy Patterson, prove to have been key in playing out PTK’s mission. McKitterick and Murillo felt that all three of their PTK advisers contributed a great deal to their development as students, leaders and as individuals.

“My college career, my studies, and my life have all been truly enriched by my [PTK] involvement,” said McKitterick who is a full-time liberal arts student by day and restaurant server by night. “My advisers were there every step of the way to encourage and support me, no matter how tough it got.”

McKitterick will graduate from SAC with an Associates of Arts (A.A.) degree in June 2006. She then hopes to attend California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and enroll in the Animal Science degree program, to pursue her future dream job of being an equestrian trainer. She hopes to become a breeder of horses, while simultaneously being involved in reproductive research. McKitterick plans to someday secure a successful career in the equine industry and would eventually like to have her own training center.

Murillo will continue his journey through higher education at either the University of Southern California or the University of California, Irvine, after he transfers from SAC with a dual degree in Philosophy and Psychology.

“My inspiration and motivation to pursue my educational goals stem from being a single dad,” said Murillo. “I strive to become an exemplary role model to my wonderful daughter, Astrid.”

While attending school full time, being a student leader, and a single parent, Murillo still manages to allot time to help those in need. Feeling that there is no greater deed than being of service to others, Murillo, plans to one day teach philosophy at the undergraduate level and ultimately become a clinical psychologist.

As McKitterick and Murillo venture on to various endeavors in school and life, they will both be able to look back at their days involved in PTK at SAC, with a good sense of accomplishment.