The Coca-Cola Foundation furthers their relationship with Clayton State University through a new $665,000 gift intended for 70 scholarships of first-generation or female students. These scholarships come as part of a wider project to increase the quality of life for communities within the South metro Atlanta region, while increasing outcomes for their students.
This isn’t the first donation the Coca-Cola Foundation has made to Clayton State University. It follows their $500,000 donation in 2017 for first-generation students, and those interested in STEM fields and supply chain jobs. This new scholarship, however, extends support for students in the areas of analysis and research in civic engagement, social innovation, community-focused wellness, and watershed/waterways quality.
Each of the 70 new scholarships worth $9,500 fall into five categories:
- 20 scholarships go to the Women in Leadership cohort, assisting women pursuing higher education for fields related to business.
- 20 scholarships go to the Women in STEM cohort. 15 of these will be awarded to women supporting environmental research, especially water quality research. The final 5 go to women studying statistics and mathematics for support in data-analytics for any research projects.
- 10 scholarships are available for any first generation or female students interested in STEM fields, focused on working with faculty to identify systemic and persistent problems facing the communities within south metro Atlanta.
- 10 scholarships go to the First Generation Scholarships in Civic Engagement cohort, for any qualifying first-generation students striving for careers in sociology, political science, criminal justice, or civic fields.
- The final 10 scholarships go to the First Generation Scholars in Wellness cohort, supporting first-generation students interested in health, health administration, and wellness careers.
“Often our campaigns are solely focused on fund raising activities, but Beyond Our Walls will allow us to live out the final phase of the University’s Strategic Plan 2022 in addition to meeting the charge set out by the University System of Georgia’s 2024 Plan calling us to focus on Community Impact,” said the vice-president of University Advancement and External Affairs, Chase Moore. “Both plans have helped us zero in on how to we as a community of learners become better stewards of place.”
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