High-achieving community college students have extra financial support available when they transfer to St. Francis College, thanks to the new Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK)Scholarship.

Any current PTK member will receive an annual $500 Scholarship when he or she transfers as a full-time student. Local PTK chapters at community colleges invite students to become members when they meet certain academic criteria, which generally includes achieving a 3.5 grade point average.

"St. Francis College has always been a destination for transfer students, and we're thrilled to provide even more financial resources to those who come here with stellar academic records," said Rob Oliva, SFC Director of Recruitment, Office of Admissions. "It's a privilege to have PTK members amongst our student body. We welcome them here wholeheartedly and are eager to ensure they achieve their dreams."

The PTK Scholarship is just one of the many forms of academic support available to SFC's transfer student population. Students may be eligible for up to $12,000 in annual merit-based scholarships, $1,000 if they hold an associate's degree, and $1,000 if they graduated from a faith-based high school.

In addition, PTK Scholarship recipients can apply for the SFC Honors Program, a rigorous academic curriculum taught in small classes with similarly motivated peers that culminates with a senior thesis project.

Last fall, St. Francis College welcomed 209 transfer students, the highest in its history.

Established in 1918, PTK has a presence on almost 1,300 community college campuses in 11 nations. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) recognized Phi Theta Kappa as the official honor society for two-year colleges in 1929. More than 3.5 million students have been inducted since 1918, with approximately 250,000 active members in the nation's community colleges.