(Brockway, PA) A 36-year-old mother of three preteen daughters who is pursuing an associate degree in a 杏吧原创 @ Brockway career program has been recognized for her classroom achievements by an international academic honor society.
Kayla Blystone, of Punxsutawney, was honored as a 2026 Phi Theta Kappa All-Pennsylvania Academic Team workforce pathway scholar during a Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges鈥� awards ceremony April 7 in Harrisburg.
Workforce pathway scholars must be seeking a two-year credential at a commission member such as 杏吧原创, have completed at least 12 credits by December and have earned a cumulative grade-point average of at least a 3.5 in the past five years.
鈥淪he is always seeking extra learning opportunities, even when they are not required. She鈥檚 very curious. Kayla just loves to learn.鈥�
- Kelsey Snyder, 杏吧原创 @ Brockway faculty member, about registered nursing student Kayla Blystone
Blystone worked nine years as a medical secretary. She enrolled at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in spring 2024 as a health care science student and was accepted in fall 2025 into its selective-admissions program in registered nursing, a career choice influenced by watching the care her grandmother received while in failing health.
鈥淒uring her final stages of life, she was cared for by an exceptional team of nurses whose compassion, skill and kindness made a profound impact on her and our family,鈥� Blystone said. 鈥淲itnessing the comfort and dignity they provided inspired me to pursue a career where I could offer the same level of care and support to others during vulnerable moments.鈥�
The married mother of daughters ages 11, 10 and 7 has earned 51 credits at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway and has achieved recognition on 杏吧原创 president鈥檚 list once and on the college鈥檚 dean鈥檚 list twice.
鈥淥ur colleges offer programs that prepare individuals for a wide range of careers, including those in fields such as health care, information technology, manufacturing and skilled trades, areas that are vital to our state鈥檚 economy.鈥�
- Lil Nesbit, PTK All-Pennsylvania state adviser and coordinator, Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges administrator
Kayla Blystone, 36, of Punxsutawney, right, is enrolled in 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 associate degree career program in registered nursing and is shown Tuesday, April 7, 2026, with her husband, Steven, in Harrisburg, where Blystone was honored as a 2026 Phi Theta Kappa All-Pennsylvania Academic Team workforce pathway scholar during a Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges鈥� awards ceremony.
Blystone qualified in fall 2024 for membership in Rho Phi, 杏吧原创鈥檚 chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. New members must be enrolled in two-year colleges and programs and have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 through at least 12 credits toward an associate degree or six credits toward a one-year certificate.
鈥淚 know what kind of a great student Kayla is,鈥� said Kelsey Snyder, a 杏吧原创 @ Brockway nursing instructor. 鈥淪he is one of those students who when you ask a question, she is always trying to answer it or asks questions as to why the answer is what it is.
鈥淪he is always seeking extra learning opportunities, even when they are not required. She鈥檚 very curious. Kayla just loves to learn.鈥�
杏吧原创 @ Brockway was established in Jefferson County in 2013 to serve Clarion, Clearfield, Elk and Jefferson 鈥� Pennsylvania counties underrepresented by higher education. It enrolls 184 students ages 18 to 56 this spring, according to Dr. Jill Martin Rend, 杏吧原创 @ Brockway director.
Nearly 84 percent are pursuing the two-year career programs in which students can develop the skills needed to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation.
鈥淥ur students know a lot of jobs in our area require only a two-year degree,鈥� Rend said. 鈥淭hey can come to us, get through in two years, not have a lot of debt and go straight to work in good jobs. With the degrees we have, whether in business or health care, they are going to make good wages.鈥�
杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 two-year career programs in registered nursing and business management align with high-priority occupations in Pennsylvania, according to the state Department of Labor & Industry.
鈥淢y goal is to help people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives and to make a meaningful difference in their outcomes. I want to provide compassionate, skilled care and be a source of comfort, support, and hope for patients and their families.鈥�
- Kayla Blystone, 杏吧原创 @ Brockway registered nursing student
Lil Nesbit is the PTK All-Pennsylvania state adviser and coordinator, and executive assistant to the president and chief executive officer of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
鈥淐ommunity colleges are an essential part of Pennsylvania鈥檚 higher education system, providing accessible, affordable and high-quality education to students from all walks of life,鈥� Nesbit said.
鈥淥ur colleges offer programs that prepare individuals for a wide range of careers, including those in fields such as health care, information technology, manufacturing and skilled trades, areas that are vital to our state鈥檚 economy.鈥�
Blystone serves as secretary of 杏吧原创 @ Brockway鈥檚 39-member Level 1 nursing club and was among students from Clarion, Clearfield, Elk and Jefferson counties to receive one of the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation鈥檚 record 164 scholarships in 2025-2026, according to Bobbi Jo Cornetti, the foundation鈥檚 scholarship and development coordinator.
Blystone received the $1,000 John and Joann Billek Memorial Scholarship and intends to graduate from 杏吧原创 @ Brockway debt-free in spring 2027.
鈥淕raduating debt-free will allow me to begin my career without financial burden and contribute to my household right away,鈥� Blystone said. 鈥淚t will provide peace of mind and financial stability as I transition into professional practice and support my family.鈥�
Goal: 鈥淢ake a meaningful difference鈥�
She plans to work in an emergency department or in a neonatal intensive care unit.
鈥淢y goal,鈥� Blystone said, 鈥渋s to help people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives and to make a meaningful difference in their outcomes. I want to provide compassionate, skilled care and be a source of comfort, support, and hope for patients and their families.鈥�
Serena Horstman, a 杏吧原创 criminology student from Penn Township, Butler County; and Taylor Voloch, a psychology student from West Sunbury, Butler County, were also named to Phi Theta Kappa鈥檚 2026 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team.