Hennepin Tech student named to the American Association of Community Colleges and Phi Theta Kappa All-USA Academic Team

Brooklyn Park, February 29, 2024

Hennepin Technical College student, Zachary Callahan, has been named the American Association of Community Colleges and Phi Theta Kappa All-USA Academic Team scholar from the state of Minnesota.

Receiving the highest All-USA Academic Team application score in Minnesota was a surprise to Zach. He reflected on his application, “The scholarship came up through Phi Theta Kappa and I went for it. My application essay was centered around my involvement with the campus free food distribution and the work around making Hennepin Tech a Hunger Free Campus.” He shared his hopes for the future, “Feeding people is kind of one of my goals. What I really want to do is to own and operate container farms and feed people.”

One New Century Scholarship is awarded in the category of Transfer Pathway and Workforce Pathway to an individual annually in each state. The selection is based on a scored application in the All-USA Academic Team competition. In 2023-24, over 2,200 applications were received.

Zach, a Landscape, Horticulture, Greenhouse and Urban Forestry student, commented on the reason why he returned to college,” I was a jeweler for a decade and got laid off from my job during the pandemic. My dad was sick, so I went home to take care of him. I got out in the garden a lot during that time, and it afforded me a sense of peace. That’s what I came to school to find in my career, that sense of a peaceful life.” Zach graduates in May with an Associates of Applied Sciences degree in Greenhouse Management and intends on directly entering the workforce in parks and recreation or natural resources management.

The mission of Phi Theta Kappa is to recognize academic achievement of college students and to provide opportunities for them to grow as scholars and leaders. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is the primary advocacy organization for the nation’s community colleges. The association represents more than 1,000 2-year, associate degree-granting institutions and nearly 12 million students. The New Century Pathway Scholarship program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation, The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, the American Association of Community Colleges, and Phi Theta Kappa. One-hundred and eight scholarships are given annually.

About Hennepin Technical College

Founded in 1972, Hennepin Technical College is the largest stand-alone technical college in Minnesota. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, the college offers degree and non-degree courses in over 40 programs in the skilled trades and high-demand career fields. Achieving a high job placement rate, Hennepin Tech prepares students for high-paying employment opportunities.