HFCC nominates two for All-USA Community College Academic Team

Henry Ford Community College Honors Program students Angela Blumenthal and Maria Lucente have been nominated to compete for a place on USA TODAY’s 2009 All-USA Community and Junior College Academic Team. Sixty students from more than 1,500 applicants from community colleges across the nation will be selected for the academic team in April. The top 20 chosen for the USA TODAY first academic team will receive a trophy and a $2,500 cash award.

Allen Park resident Blumenthal is a pre-secondary education and art foundations major at HFCC. Blumenthal also is a student in HFCC’s Henry Ford II Honors Program, which is designed to challenge students to think critically through advanced courses and one-on-one directed studies with HFCC instructors.

'I chose Henry Ford Community College because of its quality educators, its flexible schedule and its location in regard to my home,' says Blumenthal. 'I am lucky and proud to have been embraced by the Henry Ford II Honors Program.'

Blumenthal is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honors society for two-year college students, and the incoming treasurer for HFCC’s chapter, Alpha Xi Mu. In addition, Blumenthal has been the recipient of the Art History Department Scholarship and the Mary Joan and Anthony E. Woods Scholarship. Blumenthal also volunteers at HFCC’s Sisson Art Gallery, the Wyandotte First Congregational soup kitchen and the Special Olympics.

Livonia resident Maria Lucente is a music education major at HFCC. She has been a member of the award-winning HFCC Big Band and is now a member of the HFCC Concert Choir and the HFCC Wind Ensemble, where she plays the French horn.

Lucente developed an interest in attending HFCC after her older brother, a former HFCC student, told her and her twin sister to take advantage of everything HFCC offers.

'I took this opportunity to go to a community college because it was an easier step into the college atmosphere,' says Lucente. 'HFCC has smaller classes and gives students a great opportunity to have more contact with teachers.'

Lucente also is a student in HFCC’s Henry Ford II Honors Program and founded the HFCC Honor’s Program Student Committee, which helps organize events and transfer seminars for Honors Program students. She also is a member of HFCC’s Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), a group that encourages civic duty and community involvement. In addition, Lucente volunteers at Livonia Youth Philharmonic, where she mentors children by teaching them how to play musical instruments.

The nominating committee of Nabeel Abraham, HFCC Honors Program director, Jennifer Roderique, HFCC English instructor and Corinne Asher, HFCC business instructor, selected Blumenthal and Lucente as HFCC’s nominees.

HFCC has previously had three students selected for placement on the All-USA Academic Team. Esther Kelley was honored with first-team placement in 2006; Farhan Latif was selected for the first team in 2003; and Carol Tea Nini was chosen for the second team in 2002.

For more information about HFCC’s Honors Program, contact Nabeel Abraham at 313-845-6460 or via email at nabraham@hfcc.edu. For more information about HFCC, please call toll free at 1-800-585-HFCC (4322) or visit www.hfcc.edu.

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