Two academically outstanding GateWay Community College (GWCC) students, Elisa Camou Josytewa and Samantha Kapanak, were honored among 71 students, representing Arizona’s 10 community college districts, during the 2026 All-Arizona Academic Team Recognition Ceremony held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Both were recognized for their exceptional achievements and accomplished leadership skills.
“What makes community colleges so powerful is their ability to break down barriers for local students. Even more rewarding is seeing a GateWay education open doors to new opportunities beyond our campus,” said GWCC President, Dr. Amy Diaz. “We’re incredibly proud of our All-Arizona scholars, not only for what they’ve achieved here, but for what they’ll accomplish next through continued education made possible by this scholarship.”
All-Arizona Academic Team honorees demonstrate academic excellence and intellectual tenacity combined with leadership and service that expand their education beyond the classroom to benefit their communities and society. Each is working toward an associate’s degree, maintains a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, and is involved in campus and community volunteer activities.
Meet this year’s honorees:
Samantha Kapanak
Kapanak will transfer to Arizona State University (ASU) to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering. Her goal is to design medical devices for diabetic technology companies while contributing to gene therapy research. She is a Presidents’ Honors scholar, a STEM scholar, and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society.
Elisa Camou Josytewa
Camou Josytewa is planning to transfer to ASU to continue exploring business degree pathways. Her personal and professional goals include developing ethical leadership skills centered on community impact and achieving financial freedom. A former foster youth, Camou Josytewa, turned her hardships into success. During her time at GWCC, Camou Josytewa served as a Student Life & Leadership councilmember, member of the honors program, and participated in the Year Up United intensive job training and internship experience.
“Community colleges are the cornerstones of higher education,” said Dr. Steven R. Gonzales, Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor. “We are the nation’s workforce engines, preparing a pipeline of students to address critical labor shortages. We deliver the best educational return on investment.”
About the Selection Process
All-Arizona Academic Teams are judged in three rounds. First-round judges consist of local businesses and civic, education, and government leaders. The second and third round judging occurs in Washington, D.C., by representatives from federal agencies and national education associations. Scores from the national competition are used to rank the students for the state team.
Organizations including PTK, the international honor society for two-year colleges and academic programs, the American Association of Community Colleges, the Arizona Community Colleges Coordinating Council, the Arizona Board of Regents, and Follett Higher Education Group help students reach their educational goals by awarding scholarships and issuing tuition waivers for Arizona’s three state universities: ASU, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona.
To learn more about the All-Arizona Academic Team program, click here.
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