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Samantha Carey of Estell Manor Named 2018 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar

08/16/2018 | Media Contact: Erin Mercer | (609) 343-4923
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Atlantic Cape Community College student Samantha Carey of Estell Manor is one of 207 Phi Theta Kappa members selected as a 2018 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar. She will receive a $1,000 scholarship that will go toward her education at Atlantic Cape.

A total of $207,000 is awarded through the Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation provides $200,000 in funding for the scholarships, with $25,000 set aside for members who are veterans or active members of the U.S. military. The remaining amount is supported by donations to the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation and provides seven Global Leaders of Promise Scholarships, earmarked for international students.

“Research shows that Phi Theta Kappa members are four times more likely to complete a college degree than their peers,” said Dr. Monica Marlowe, executive director of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation. “The Leaders of Promise Scholarships recognize students for what they have achieved already and assure that financial need isn’t an obstacle to achieving their academic goals.”

Established by two-year college presidents in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa recognizes the academic achievements of two-year college students and encourages academic growth. In 1929, the American Association of Community Colleges recognized Phi Theta Kappa as the official honor society for two-year colleges. It is the largest honor society in American higher education today, with more than 2 million members in the United States, U.S. territories, Canada and Germany.

Candidates must meet this criteria for induction: be a full- or part-time student enrolled at Atlantic Cape; have earned 12 general education credits to date, either from Atlantic Cape or another community college; and hold a 3.5 cumulative grade point average. In May, Carey was inducted as vice president of service and scholarships of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society at the college.