Irene Yim and David Latt with SMCCCD Board of Trustees president Karen Schwarz.
Skyline College students Irene Yim and David Zay Latt were honored April 3, 2014 at a luncheon in Sacramento sponsored by the Community College League of California. Awardees were members of the Phi Theta Kappa Society who have demonstrated the highest level of academic achievement. There were 25 students from around the state who were selected for the All-California First Team, and 26 students from around the state who were selected for the All-California Second Team .
They represent the best of the two million students enrolled in California’s 122 community colleges. Irene Yim was selected for the All-California Academic First Team. In addition, she was awarded a Coca-Cola scholarship. Irene is a double major in Food Science and Microbiology with a 3.7 GPA. She is the co-president of Skyline College’s Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. She was the 2013 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students winner in microbiology for her undergraduate research presentation. She was previously president of Skyline Colleges chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, where she helped develop a science service project for middle school science programs called SMiLE (Science for Middle school Laboratory Experience).
As the coordinator for SMiLE Irene has promoted the importance and fun of hands-on learning for more than 600 middle school students and provided service-leadership opportunities for Skyline College students. David Zay Latt was selected for the All-California Academic Second Team. David is a Political Science major and has a 3.91 GPA. David is currently serving as the student trustee for the SMCCCD Board of Trustees. He has received a Distinguished Service award from the Skyline College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa for his active service. He has started a Model United Nations Club at Skyline College, after having enjoyed participating in one throughout high school. In 2013 he received the Geraldine H. Read Memorial Award from the World Affairs Council of Northern California for his commitment to student engagement in international affairs.
Article and photo by Donna Bestock
