[KHTS] – A valedictorian of College of the Canyons’ 2014 graduating class was one of ten students nationwide chosen to receive the 2014 Phi Theta Kappa Hites Transfer Scholarship award, college officials announced Wednesday.

Jessie Warme, who is set to attend the University of California at San Diego in the fall, was selected from more than 2,200 applicants to be awarded with the $7,500 scholarship in recognition of outstanding academic achievement of Phi Theta Kappa members.

“Jessie is a gifted young woman with superb communication skills and a sense of responsibility for both her fellow students and her community,” said Miriam Golbert, the college’s Phi Theta Kappa advisor. “Her involvement in issues that affect the world is impressive. She was an amazing officer for the college’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter, and being a recipient of this prestigious scholarship is well-deserved.”

Warme is one of two California community college students selected for the award, school officials said.

To be eligible, students must have been enrolled in an associate degree program and eligible to transfer to a regionally accredited baccalaureate degree-granting senior institution in fall 2014.

Student applications were reviewed by a panel of judges and scored based on a variety of factors, including academic rigor, engagement and leadership.

“I’ve submitted dozens of scholarship applications and received dozens of rejections,” Warme said. “Truthfully, I had started to give up hope, but decided to apply for the Hites Transfer scholarship anyway… To me, this entire experience has emphasized the importance of perseverance, not only in school, but in all aspects of life.”

Warme is set to receive the scholarship award and congratulatory medallion during the Phi Theta Kappa’s 2015 Annual Convention in May.

The vice president of COC’s Model United Nations and secretary of Phi Theta Kappa for the 2013-2014 academic year, Warme maintained a 4.0 GPA while double majoring in mathemathics and social & behavioral science, school officials said. She was also involved with the COC speech team and the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.

In the fall, she is set to major in international studies and political science with a secondary track in economics at the University of California, San Diego.