Two Massasoit Students Named to Phi Theta Kappa’s All-Massachusetts Academic Team

BROCKTON – April 29, 2020 – Two Massasoit students are being honored this week for their induction to the 2020 Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-Massachusetts Academic Team. Jasmine Jaynes of Brockton and Kevin DeNicola of Middleborough will be recognized virtually as part of the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges’ PTK Community College Excellence Week.

Kevin DeNicola is studying computer science at Massasoit and is the vice president of service in the Alpha Kappa Upsilon PTK Chapter, as well as vice president for Massasoit’s Honor Association club. He is also a tutor in both the math and computer science Academic Resource Centers at Massasoit. Upon graduating and transferring to a four-year institution, DeNicola plans to specialize in cybersecurity for embedded devices.

Jasmine Jaynes is a Liberal Arts Transfer student and will be moving on to Smith College in the fall to major in women and gender studies. Alongside PTK, she is also the president of Massasoit’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) and a Presidential Student Ambassador. While Jaynes is not at school or her day job, she is a singing waitress and loves to perform. Jaynes hope to one day work for an organization that advocates for women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights.

From Monday, April 27 through Friday, May 1, the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges will highlight DeNicola, Jaynes, and the other All-Massachusetts Academic Team students for their outstanding academic achievement and exemplary student service on its social media pages.

Traditionally, a ceremony is held at the Massachusetts State House to honor the highest academic achievers in the state’s 15-member community college system. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 PTK All-Massachusetts Academic Team ceremony originally scheduled for April 8 was cancelled.

PTK is the international honor society of two-year colleges, and students with grade point averages of 3.5 or higher are invited to join.

“Every year, we look forward to this opportunity to highlight the community colleges’ commitment to access, opportunity, and excellence. Despite the virtual nature of this year’s recognition, the outstanding achievements of our students cannot be understated,” said Tom Sannicandro, director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges. “We are proud of all they have accomplished, and celebrate the continued pursuit of their academic and career aspirations”

In addition to membership on the All-Massachusetts Academic Team, DeNicola was this year’s Coca-Cola Bronze Scholar and received a $1,000 scholarship for this honor.

The Massachusetts Association Community Colleges works on behalf of presidents and trustees of the fifteen community colleges in Massachusetts. To follow the virtual “PTK Community College Excellence Week,” highlights about the students will be posted to social media at these accounts:

Facebook: @macommunitycolleges 
Twitter: @MassCCs 
Instagram: @macommunitycolleges