Ling earns PTK Hites scholarship

• Ling

Submitted Photo Alex Ling, middle, poses with fellow Hites scholarship recipients during the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s National Convention in Seattle, Wash., in April. Other recipients are Carmina Del Mundo, Walnut, Calif.; Joseph Juliano, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Mary Denman, Knoxville, Tenn.; and (not pictured) Enior Jiminez, Suffern, N.Y.

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WORTHINGTON — Alex Ling, a Worthington High School graduate and former president of the Phi Theta Kappa chapter at the local Minnesota West Community and Technical College, was among five college students nationwide to be named a Hites Scholarship winner.

The $7,500 scholarship is awarded to PTK members enrolled in a two-year college who have a 3.5 or higher grade point average, and will transfer to a four-year institution. Ling applied for the scholarship a year ago, and received his first payment from the two-year scholarship after starting his junior year at Northern Michigan University last fall.

Ling received official recognition during the PTK annual convention a few weeks ago in Seattle, Wash.

PTK is an honor society for students enrolled in a two-year college only, so Ling is no longer a chapter member. When he graduated from Minnesota West last spring, the PTK chapter was just beginning to grow.

As president, he helped rewrite the organization’s charter and spearheaded a committee to create an honors and action seminar for students. Nationally-known speakers provided recorded interviews for PTK, which were then made available to high school students.

In completing the scholarship, Ling had to provide essay responses relating to his leadership experience, community service and volunteerism. As part of that, he spoke about his leadership roles in PTK as well as leading a Bible study, and volunteering to help students in an after-school program at Worthington Middle School.

Ling was also asked to describe a college class that had impacted him the most.

“Organic chemistry with Dr. (Steven) Schultz,” was Ling’s response. “It was the most challenging course — it opened my eyes to how things work and kind of got me introduced to the field.”

In the class, Ling conducted a research project and experiments on polymers.

“It just opened a lot of critical thinking (ideas),” he said.

Since middle school, Ling knew that he wanted a career in the mission field after college, but it wasn’t until he took the organic chemistry course at Minnesota West that his focus was realized.

“Once I went through chemistry and organic chemistry, I decided perhaps medical school would be a good choice,” he said.

Ling, son of Brian and Michelle Ling of rural Worthington, has now returned home for the summer to help his dad with their farming operation. He will return to Northern Michigan University this fall, and plans to graduate from the biochemistry and pre-med program there next spring. He then plans to attend medical school.

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