Auburn LLCC Student Awarded National Scholarship

By Benjamin Cox on April 10, 2024 at 11:15am

A Lincoln Land Community College student and Auburn High School graduate has received a prestigious scholarship from the American Association of Community Colleges.

Olivia Marchizza of Auburn has been named a Phi Theta Kappa 2024 New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar and will receive a $2,250 scholarship. She was recognized as Illinois’ recipient of the scholarship at the AACC’s annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky this week.

More than 2,200 students from more than 1,300 college campuses nationwide were nominated. Only one New Century Transfer Scholar is selected from each state.

The program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Phi Theta Kappa and AACC. Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges. The society is made up of more than 3.8 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members at colleges across the U.S. Learn more at ptk.org.

Dr. Gillian Bauer, LLCC professor of English and Phi Theta Kappa advisor said in a press release that Marchizza’s combination of academic accomplishments, leadership, activities and engagement in college and community service led to her award.

Marchizza is a 2022 graduate of Auburn High School. She is currently a freshman at LLCC and recently was on the Lady Loggers basketball team and is Vice President of Service and Scholarship for LLCC’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.

She is the daughter of Kelli and Geno Marchizza of Auburn.