Emmanuel S.A. Garrick Named 2023 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar

Jefferson Community College (JCC) student Emmanuel S.A. Garrick, Theresa, is one of 213 Phi Theta Kappa members to be named a 2023 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar, an honor that comes with a $1,000 scholarship. Garrick is a dual major in engineering and mathematics at JCC. He is vice president of the Student Government Association and vice president of JCC’s Tau Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Additionally, he participates regularly in the JCC campus community band. After graduating from Jefferson, he plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree. 

The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program helps new Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) members defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. Scholars are encouraged to assume leadership roles by participating in PTK programs and are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service, and leadership potential. Nearly 1,100 applications were received. 

“Emmanuel is a shining example of what it means to be an active and engaged student scholar,” says College President Daniel J. Dupee, II. “He is a dedicated and committed student who is successfully juggling being a dual major, while finding time for co-curricular activities and involvement in Student Government. Emmanuel shares his musical talent with the campus on a regular basis, playing the steelpan which is an instrument that originated in his home country of Trinidad.  It is wonderful he was selected as a Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar, as he will undoubtedly continue to make strides at JCC and beyond.

A total of $213,000 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 and 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 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 Society programs and develop leadership skills to become future leaders in their communities. 

“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.”

About Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier 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 3.8 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org. 

About JCC’s Tau Xi Chapter of PTK 
Members of JCC’s Tau Xi Chapter of PTK exemplify the four hallmarks essential to PTK induction: scholarship, leadership, fellowship and service. Academic excellence is matched and often surpassed by JCC PTK members’ willingness to share their time and talents with the community. To be eligible for Phi Theta Kappa, students must earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 and have completed at least 12 credit hours of college level work at JCC. To remain a member of PTK, students must maintain a 3.3 GPA. Learn more at SUNYJefferson.edu.