Three students connected with the College named Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars

Two College of Education students, as well as a student worker in the Office of Student Services, were recently named Coca-Cola scholars for the current academic year.

Alex Kellogg of Lilburn, a social studies education major, and Darshan Patel of Stockbridge, an intended exercise and sport science major, joined work-study student and intended mass media arts major Cyrus Townsend of Lithia Springs for the honor. The First Generation Scholarship program supports academically outstanding students who are the first in their families to attend college.

The award provides $5,000 per year on top of the HOPE Scholarship and is renewable for up to three years if recipients maintain certain academic standards. As part of the program, students also receive support to help them adjust to college life.

The students were among 12 freshmen honored during a ceremony March 16 at the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. Rahul Shrivastav, vice president for instruction and a professor in the College's Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education, gave opening remarks and introduced the speakers. Other speakers and attendees included Scott Williamson of Coca-Cola and UGA President Jere W. Morehead.

The Coca-Cola Foundation has provided scholarships for 126 UGA students since 2007.