SENMC Students, Carmela Thea Bicol and Sammy Lopez Named 2025 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholars

SENMC Students, Carmela Thea Bicol and Sammy Lopez Named 2025 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholars

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

Carmela Thea Bicol and Sammy Lopez, students at Southeast New Mexico College (SENMC) are one of 220 Phi Theta Kappa members named a 2025 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar and will 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 600 applications were received.

PTK Advisor, Dr. Raven Anderson said, “As the advisor for the Alpha Rho Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, it is an honor to celebrate the achievements of students like Sammy and Carmela. I am extremely proud of their accomplishment in receiving the prestigious Leaders of Promise Scholarship, which recognizes their dedication, leadership, and academic excellence. Sammy demonstrates his commitment by serving as an officer for the Alpha Rho Xi Chapter and supporting his peers as a tutor in the science department. Carmela is excelling academically, recently entering the Nursing program, and consistently shows her willingness to assist others. Both students play vital roles in advancing our chapter’s College Project and Honors in Action Project, reflecting the spirit of collaboration and service that PTK represents. Their hard work and determination set them apart, and they are outstanding representatives of Southeast New Mexico College. I look forward to seeing the many ways they will continue to achieve and lead.”

A total of $220,000 will be awarded this year 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, which provides multiple 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 Paulsen, 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 Society programs and develop leadership skills to become future leaders in their communities.

Carmela Thea Bicol said, “As a proud member of Alpha Rho Xi Chapter of PTK, I would like to show my appreciation for winning the Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship. I am beyond grateful for being awarded with this scholarship. I will be taking this opportunity to help me through nursing school and become a great nurse. Thank you to PTK!”

"This competitive scholarship has really demonstrated that hard work and dedication really does pay off. Thank you, Coca-Cola and sponsors, for seeing beauty in my struggles as a non-traditional college student and overall making my transition from SENMC to a four-year university even easier!" said Sammy Lopez 

“Research shows that Phi Theta Kappa members are four times more likely to complete a college degree than their peers,” said Amanda Karpinski Gorman, Interim 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.”

About Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa is the first honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,250 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.