TSD Seniors Named Coca-Cola Scholar Semifinalists for 2023

Six TSD high school seniors out of 1,557 students nationwide were selected as Semifinalists for the prestigious 2022 Coca-Cola Scholars Program, from a pool of over 91,000 (1.7% of all applicants) who submitted applications from across the country based on their academic excellence, leadership, and service demonstrated in school and community activities. These Semifinalists are now in the running for 150 college scholarships worth $20,000 each.

International Academy East seniors Diya Gehlaut, Tanvi Mandadi and Max Stefanski, Athens senior Arnav Shah and Troy High seniors Deepti Aggarwal and Sonnet Xu will move to the next round of the selection process to become a Coca-Cola Scholar and receive a $20,000 college scholarship. A joint effort of Coca-Cola bottlers across the country and The Coca-Cola Company, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the United States. With the addition of the 2023 class, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will have provided more than 6,750 Coke Scholars nationwide with over $81 million in scholarships over the course of 35 years.

“We believe that identifying these young leaders throughout the country and encouraging their passion for serving others not only empowers the students, but also lifts up those around them.” said Jane Hale Hopkins, President of the Foundation. “The Coca-Cola system is dedicated to giving back to the communities they serve, and the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is proud to be a part of that commitment.”

In addition to receiving college scholarships, those students selected as Coca-Cola Scholars will be welcomed into a vibrant and growing family of alumni that have become a powerful force for positive change in the world. Through networking, collaborations, and friendships, the group strives to make a greater impact together. Recent initiatives include a podcast called The SIP (Scholars Ignite Podcast), Coke Scholars Care (Coke Scholars doing good in the midst of the pandemic), and the sixth year of a coaching program that partners seasoned alumni with first-year Scholars as they transition to college. Every 5 years, all alumni are invited to a Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Summit.

Semifinalists are in the process of completing their Phase 2 applications, which include essays, a recommendation, and transcripts. An independent selection committee will review the applications and select 250 Regional Finalists by the end of January to participate in online interviews. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars will be named in March to receive a $20,000 college scholarship and participate in the Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Development Institute facilitated by program alumni.

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools:

THS L to R: Deepti Aggarwal and Sonnet Xu

Athens: Arnav Shah

IAE L to R: Tanvi Mandadi, Max Stefanski and Diya Gehlaut