Kellogg Community College is pleased to announce that student Ashley Larson, of Eaton Rapids, has been named a 2026 Coca-Cola Academic Team member by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.
The prestigious honor was bestowed on select members of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society nationwide and comes with a $1,300 scholarship and commemorative medallion.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Coca-Cola Academic Team program by recognizing scholars with nearly $200,000 in scholarships annually. Students are nominated for the academic team by their college administrators, with selection based on academic achievement, leadership and engagement in college and community service.
Larson, a Part-time Nights and Weekends Nursing student at KCC who plans to graduate in May 2027, was nominated for her advocacy to improve health and safety supports in her children’s school district after the loss of a school nurse due to funding cuts. According to her nominators, Larson took initiative by coordinating with school administrators, medical professionals and community organizations to provide training on managing chronic health conditions and emergency responses, increasing staff preparedness and strengthening systems of care for vulnerable students.
“The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” Jane Hale Hopkins, president of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, said in a statement. “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 global community leaders.”
Coca-Cola Academic Team members are recognized in local and statewide ceremonies and were recognized internationally during Phi Theta Kappa’s annual convention, PTK Catalyst, in Baltimore earlier this month.
About the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation celebrates and empowers visionary leaders who are refreshing the world. Supporting more than 1,400 exceptional college students each year, it awards $3.55 million in scholarships annually through three nationally recognized programs. For more information, visit coca-colascholarsfoundation.org.
About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is an invitation-only international honor society made up of more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. KCC students in the organization must have completed 12 or more semester hours with a 3.5 or higher grade-point average. New KCC students may be invited to provisional membership based on their high school academic achievement and leadership activities. For more information about PTK, visit kellogg.edu/rsos or ptk.org.
For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at https://daily.kellogg.edu/category/news-releases.
