Rickie (Rick) Abbott, Miles Community College student, has been named a 2009 New Century Scholar recipient through the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society of Two-Year Colleges. The New Century Scholars program is an extension of the All-USA Academic Team competition with the highest-scoring student in each state on the All-USA Academic Team named a New Century Scholar. New Century Scholar recipients receive a $2,000 stipend funded by the Coca-Cola Foundation and the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. Community college students from states and nations hosting Phi Theta Kappa chapters were chosen to receive this award.

All New Century Scholars will be honored at the American Association of Community Colleges convention in Phoenix, Arizona April 4 -6. As a New Century Scholar, Rick will represent all community College students from Montana at the AACC Opening Ceremonies on Saturday, April 4 and at a reception on Sunday, April 5. In addition, New Century Scholars are invited to attend the President's Breakfast honoring All-USA Academic First Team members on Monday morning, April 6.

Mr. Abbott is a sophomore at Miles Community College majoring in Business. His future educational plans include attending Montana State University-Billings to pursue a bachelor's degree in Business then continue on for a Master's degree with an emphasis in Accounting. Rick and his wife, Dee, have five children; three girls and two boys.

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, is the largest honor society in American higher education with 1,200 chapters on two-year and community college campuses in all 50 of the United States, Canada, Germany, the Republic of Palau, the British Virgin Islands, and U.S. territorial possessions. More than two million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918, with approximately 100,000 students inducted annually.