Zahra Batul, a Valencia College student, has been named a 2026 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship. The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program helps new Phi Theta Kappa members defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. Scholars are selected on scholastic achievement, community service and leadership potential, and are encouraged to take on leadership roles by participating in Society programs.
Batul, an international student from Kampala, Uganda, was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa in 2025 and has served as president of her campus chapter at Valencia College. She is active in the college’s International Club, studies business at Valencia College, and plans to major in finance when she transfers to the University of Central Florida. She said her goal is a career in corporate finance focused on strategic financial decision making, with a longer-term plan to teach financial literacy to youth, mentor future business leaders and launch financial initiatives in local and global communities.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation provides funding for the scholarships, with a portion earmarked for members who are veterans or active members of the United States military. Additional donations to the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation support Global Leaders of Promise Scholarships earmarked for international students. Jane Hale Paulsen, president of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, said the foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding community college students and is proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa. Amanda Karpinski Gorman, executive director of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation, said research shows Phi Theta Kappa members are four times more likely to complete a college degree than their peers, and that the scholarships recognize what students have already achieved while assuring that financial need is not an obstacle to their academic goals.
Press release issued by Valencia College:
https://news.valenciacollege.edu/valencia-college-student-named-2026-coca-cola-leaders-of-promise-scholar/
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