In 1986, with the celebration of the centennial year of Coca-Cola, the company joined together to form the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. The hope was that this would empower young leaders throughout the communities that Coca-Cola serves. The foundation is now the largest corporate-sponsored achievement-based scholarship program after three decades.  

Students who are selected as Coca-Cola Scholars receive a $20,000 college scholarship and join a vibrant and growing community of alumni that is a powerful force for positive change in the world, Senior Communications Manager of The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Lauren O’Brien said. 

“My journey to higher education went from sitting on the curb at McDonalds, applying to scholarships with a borrowed laptop and WiFi that wasn’t mine,” 2011 Scholar, Founder, and Executive Director of the Puede Network Adan Gonzalez said. “Once in that Coke Scholars interview, I was sharing my story, and at that point, my dreams. I remember a gentleman; he got up and took off his tie. He said, ‘Here you go, I give this to you because I believe in you.’ Coca-Cola believed in me before I believed in myself.”

Out of roughly 105,000 applicants who apply between August and September of their senior year, only 1,336 students nationwide are chosen and named semi-finalists in early to mid-November. Semi-finalists are chosen based on leadership, academic excellence, and service that is demonstrated throughout school and local communities, and out of all applicants, Student Council President Jack Fielding ‘25 was selected to be a semi-finalist. 

“I’ve always been big about taking the shot even if the odds are highly stacked against me,” Fielding said. “So when I saw the Coca-Cola scholarship, even though to move onto the next round there was only a 1% chance, I thought, ‘why not,’ and decided to apply. Since [the foundation] took a more holistic approach when filling out the application, [such as] asking questions about all parts of [the applicant’s] life, I knew it was the perfect scholarship for me. “

In the first round of applying for the scholarship, applicants do not need to submit an essay, transcripts, or letters of recommendation. With this being said if selected to be a semi-finalist, applicants must then submit the phase two application, which includes letters of recommendation, an essay, and transcripts. 

“I truly believe that [Fielding] embodies the principles of service, leadership, and academic excellence that the scholarship celebrates,” Director of Student Activities and Head Student Council advisor Peter Geddeis said. “In the three-plus years that I have known Jack, he has demonstrated impressive leadership qualities and initiative in everything that he does, whether it is in the classroom, in the community, or in his extracurricular involvement.” 

After submitting the second round of applications in late November and early December, an independent selection committee made up of 30 education professionals called the “Program Reading Committee” reviews all applications and recommends nearly 250 candidates to move forward in the process in mid-January. 

“If you make it past the semi-finalist round to the regional finalist round, and then to the final 150 who get the scholarship, you will get a lot of perks,” Fielding said. “Scholars will go on a trip to the Coca-Cola Headquarters in Georgia for a three-day retreat where they will work with the 150 scholars, alumni, and Coke employees in a series of leadership activities and service projects. At the end of that week, the winners will then be awarded the $20,000.” 

Those who are selected to be awarded the scholarship join a large community of over 6,900 former scholars. These scholars stay connected and involved with the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation; recently, former scholars have taken part in the “Coke Scholar Coaching Program,” which has been running for nine years and connects former and seasoned alumni with new recipients. Alumni have also created a podcast entitled “The SIP” (Coke Scholars Ignite Podcast), which explores the former Coke Scholars around the world and how they are igniting positive change. 

“The goal for me, for the Coca-Cola scholarship, is to demonstrate [the] impact I have made on the community,” Fielding said. “However far that takes me in this process, I will be very grateful for it.”

Fielding has been a very active member of the community, starting a kid’s summer camp and running Student Council are only some of the accomplishments that stand out to The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. The committee selects 150 applicants to receive the scholarship who stand out to them by evaluating all aspects of their character, especially focusing on their actions that have a positive effect on others. 

“The one image of [Fielding] that will remain with me for years to come is the wide-eyed wonder and joy that spreads across his face when something he has helped plan becomes a reality,” Geddeis said. “It could be a productive Student Council meeting, a successful charitable endeavor, or a raucous All-School Assembly; at the end, you’ll find Fielding with a huge, magnetic grin. It’s why people want to work with him, and it’s one component of what makes him a great leader.”