Jun. 8, 2017
The Coca-Cola Foundation Awards CWU with First-Generation Scholarship Grant
The board of The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded Central Washington University a $150,000 grant for continued support of the Coca-Cola First-Generation Scholarship Program at CWU. This is the second grant that Central has received from The Coca-Cola Foundation.
More than 50 students who are the first in their families to attend college have applied to receive a generous financial boost from The Coca-Cola Foundation. This is the second time The Coca-Cola Foundation is funding the scholarship program at CWU, this time increasing the number of scholarships from 10 to 15.
“We are thankful for the continued support and investment that The Coca-Cola Foundation is making in the lives of Central’s first-generation students.” said Scott Wade, vice president of University Advancement for CWU and executive director of the CWU Foundation. “The impact from this incredible partnership cannot be overstated as students are provided the opportunity to engage and be transformed by the best undergraduate experience in the West.”
The CWU students selected for the scholarship will receive $10,000 each in scholarship support. Recipients will receive $5,000 during their junior year and, if they maintain a 3.0 grade point average and continue to make progress towards their degree, they’ll receive a second $5,000 for their senior year.
The goal of the scholarship is to increase the retention and graduation rates of the scholarship recipients. It allows these students to focus on their studies instead of having to work full or part-time while attending university.
“It’s exciting that the philanthropic arm of one of the most recognized companies in the world is partnering with us to help our first-generation students succeed,” Wade said. “This is the second time that CWU has received this award from The Coca-Cola Foundation and we look forward to continued collaboration with this unique and much-needed funding program.”
Qualified applicants are:
• First-generation students (students who are the first in their immediate families to attend college)
• Students who are either returning or transferring to CWU as juniors in fall quarter
• Full-time students with a GPA of 3.0 or greater
• Students with demonstrated financial need
Students enrolled in Ellensburg, or any of the seven CWU university centers, are eligible to apply for the scholarship.
The Coca-Cola First-Generation Scholarship at CWU is an achievement-based scholarship for students who are being recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities.
Since 1993, The Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship (CCFG) program has supported students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college or university. Since its inception, over $49 million in scholarships have been awarded to over 4,000 students on more than 500 campuses throughout the United States.
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Media Contact: Scott Wade, VP of University Advancement, (509) 963-1494.