Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) students Noah Berg of Brookfield and Alexis Villacres of Danbury are two of 207 Phi Theta Kappa members named as 2022 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholars this fall, and will each receive a $1,000 scholarship.

The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program helps new Phi Theta Kappa members defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. Scholars are encouraged to assume leadership roles by participating in Society programs and are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service, and leadership potential. More than 1,300 applications were received.

Berg is majoring in business management at NVCC and cites American designer and sculptor Maya Lin as his inspiration. “Being able to follow my own personal calling is an incredible freedom,” he shared. “The Coca-Cola Promise Scholarship will help me pursue my educational and professional goals.”

“PTK has helped me develop my leadership and teamwork skills, both of which are of great value to me personally and professionally,” said Villacres, a business studies major at NVCC. “The Coca-Cola Promise Scholarship will help me fund my education and further develop these skills.”

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 United States 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.

“The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” said Jane Hale Hopkins, president of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa to make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals and support tomorrow’s leaders of the global community.”

The funds provided by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation not only aid college completion, but also give students the opportunity to engage in programs and develop leadership skills to become future leaders in their communities.

NVCC’s Alpha Theta Epsilon (ATE) chapter was recently recognized for leadership and achievement at the New England Regional PTK Spring 2022 conference. With campuses in Waterbury and Danbury, NVCC has inducted close to 300 students into PTK since 2021.

NVCC is among 12 community colleges in Connecticut merging in 2023 to become CT State Community College, one of the largest community colleges in the country and largest in New England, dedicated to quality, access, and affordability. CT State students will be able to apply once and take classes at any campus. In addition to NVCC, other locations include Asnuntuck (Enfield), Capital (Hartford), Gateway (New Haven & North Haven), Housatonic (Bridgeport), Manchester, Middlesex (Middletown & Meriden), Northwestern (Winsted), Norwalk, Quinebaug Valley (Danielson & Willimantic), Three Rivers (Norwich), and Tunxis (Farmington) Community Colleges.

Phi Theta Kappa is among the largest honor societies in higher education with approximately 240,000 active members and nearly 1,300 chapters on college campuses in all 50 of the United States, and 11 countries. More than 3 million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918.