Northeast Texas Community College student Monse Rivero-Sanchez has been awarded the 2025 Phi Theta Kappa Foundation Board of Trustees Excellence in Leadership Scholarship, a prestigious national honor that includes a $16,000 award toward her continued education. She is the first NTCC student ever selected for this highly competitive scholarship.
The award recognizes Monse’s exceptional leadership, service, and academic achievement. Her inspiring journey began when she arrived in the United States alone at age 16 to pursue a better education. Despite language and cultural barriers, she excelled as a dual-enrolled high school and college student, eventually becoming Chapter President of NTCC’s Alpha Chi Mu chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and later Vice President of the Texas Region.
She served as Phi Theta Kappa’s International Vice President for Division II and was also named a 2024 Hites Transfer Scholar, another prestigious PTK honor. Monse has contributed more than 3,000 volunteer hours, including work with Child Protective Services and tutoring students in both English and Spanish.
“Monse is a once-in-a-lifetime student leader whose resilience and heart for service have left a permanent mark on our college and community,” said Dr. Melissa Fulgham, NTCC professor and Phi Theta Kappa advisor. “She leads with integrity and compassion, and we could not be more proud to see her recognized on the national stage. Her story will continue to inspire others for years to come.”
Monse plans to transfer to Mississippi State University this fall, where she will pursue her dream of becoming a Bilingual and Multicultural Curriculum Developer—a role she hopes will empower future students from all backgrounds to thrive.
This scholarship from the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation will help close the financial gap as she transitions to the next chapter in her education.
For more information about NTCC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter or the Foundation’s scholarship programs, visit www.ntcc.edu or www.ptk.org.
