Northeast Texas Community College announced today that Stephanie Hernandez has been selected as member of the prestigious 2026 All-USA Academic Team. Selected from more than 2,300 nominees, Stephanie will receive a $3,000 scholarship.
Hernandez was recognized for her academic achievements, campus and community engagement and overall leadership. She is a Presidential Scholar in Honors Northeast who won the 2025-2026 Texas Heritage National Bank Scholarship. She has won numerous awards for scholarly research, including a Britt Award at the Great Plains Honors Council. Stephanie was also recently named a PTK new Century Transfer Pathway Scholar.
Hernandez will be recognized during the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) annual convention in Seattle in April.
"The All-USA program is a prestigious recognition of a student's exceptional abilities both in and outside of the classroom,” Amanda Karpinski-Gorman, Director of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation, said. “These students are selected for their resilience, creativity, and ingenuity in tackling global and local challenges. We are incredibly proud of the individuals named to the 2026 team and eagerly anticipate the continued impact they will make."
The All-USA program is among the nation’s premier academic honors for students pursuing an associate degree. Each institution may nominate two students who have shown outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and citizenship. The program also honors students who leverage their community college experience to better themselves, improve their schools and impact their communities.
To learn more about the All-USA Academic Team Scholarship Program, please visit the Phi Theta Kappa website.
About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the first honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,250 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.
