Coca Cola Scholarships
Fortune 500 Company with a Big Heart
Coca Cola Corporation has been a mainstay of American culture since the unique beverage was first sold as a fountain drink from a pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia in 1886. What set the company apart quickly was its unique bottle and bottling system. Within the first decade, the stripling company was sold to Candler and Woodruff, both well-known Atlanta businessmen of the time whose entrepreneurial savvy invigorated the popular new drink. Coca Cola was being sold in every state in the nation before 1900, already paired with its perennial slogan, "Delicious and Refreshing" and its curly-cue name/logo.
No one could have dreamed then that the cola would have the international influence it enjoys today. Coca Cola is sold in nearly every country and is so ubiquitous a part of American history both past and present that visitors to Disney World may experience the international taste of the drink in the company-sponsored Club Cool, a popular spot in Epcot.
Corporate Ethos
Corporate responsibility and charitable giving are as much a part of the Coca Cola Corporation as the drink is far-reaching. The company has a history of corporate support for projects related to environmentally responsible design and marketing, sustainable development in countries where they operate, a commitment to support for the eradication of HIV/AIDS and monetary assistance in times of natural and man-made disaster.
Coca Cola Foundation
The "charitable arm" of the company is the Coca Cola Foundation. The organization’s monetary gifts have been instrumental in the development of educational programs around the world. Educational projects and programs thrive in Asia and Africa today, thanks to the generosity of Coca Cola.
The Coca Cola Scholars Program has been a key provider of college scholarships for the last two decades. Each year $3 million is awarded to U.S. college students, making this one of the most generous and highly competitive scholarship programs in the country:
- Coca Cola Scholars scholarships are awarded to 250 high school seniors who will be attending a four-year college anywhere in the U.S. These highly competitive awards go through three selection phases before the final recipients are chosen. Applicants must be high school seniors with a GPA of 3.0 and impressive leadership characteristics and extracurricular activities. Fifty scholarships deliver a whopping $20,000 and 200 scholarships of $10,000, all to be used for the duration of a four-year program.
- Two-Year Colleges Scholarships program provide 350-$1,000 scholarships to students in a two-year program at a degree granting college. Eligible applicants must attend at least half time and show their commitment to education and community by either devoting time for a community service program or balancing a job with school. Candidates must have a 2.75 GPA and be able to demonstrate significant leadership characteristics and community interest.
