Northeast Texas Community College student Carolina Alcocer-Salas, from Winfield, recently received the Walter B Cooper Scholarship at the Phi Theta Kappa Texas Leadership Conference. The conference, held October 16-19 virtually this year, recognized five winners from across the entire state of Texas. The Walter B Cooper Scholarship recognizes outstanding students who are “well-rounded” in the four Hallmarks of Phi Theta Kappa: Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Fellowship.
Currently the Chapter President for Alpha Mu Chi, NTCC’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, Alcocer-Salas, is heavily involved on the college campus and within her community. Alcocer-Salas serves as the Public Relations Specialist for the Student Government Association, Secretary for the Honors Northeast Student Council, and a staff writer/photographer for the college newspaper The Eagle. In high school she served as Class President, Student Council, and Secretary for Future Business Leaders of America. She has been involved in numerous service and volunteer activities ranging from painting rocks pink for breast cancer awareness to helping put together a TxDOT PSA video on teenage drinking and driving. She donates blood, serves senior citizens, and volunteers at local harvest festival and fundraising activities. She is also an Extraordinary Eucharist Minister in her local church, trained to be able to help give communion.
A desire to help others in a meaningful way is part of her motivation for acquiring a business degree, and eventually establishing her own business to serve the community.
Alcocer-Salas was recognized by Phi Theta Kappa as a national Leader of Promise earlier this year. An Honors Scholar at NTCC, Alcocer-Salas has also won awards for her writing, including fourth place in the Bonnie Spencer contest for her essay on the Harlem Renaissance and fourth place in the Regional Poetry Contest for her poem “Mood Swings.”
“Engaged, curious, and a consistent contributor in class, Carolina has also shown herself to be a powerful natural leader and genuinely caring individual. She appreciates, encourages, and empowers others, leading by example and with an exceptional work ethic. I’ve been fortunate to have had her in class and to also see her in action as a leader. I have no doubt that she will go far in her chosen profession and it’s a pleasure to see her receive this well-deserved recognition,” said Dr. Melissa Fulgham, Division Chair of Social Sciences and an advisor for the Phi Theta Kappa chapter.
Alcocer-Salas is the seventh NTCC student to have won the Texas regional scholarship in seven consecutive years. Tonya Hammonds won in 2019, Jazmin Garcia in 2018, Alicia Cantrell in 2017, Tanika Santos-MacSwain in 2016, Mary Smith in 2015, and Kayleah Cumpian in 2014.
