ECC student named 2016 Coca-Cola Bronze Scholar

David Friedman, a student at Elgin Community College, is one of 50 students who have been named a 2016 Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Bronze Scholar. Each Bronze Scholar is honored with a $1,000 scholarship and a special medallion.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team program by recognizing 50 Gold, 50 Silver and 50 Bronze Scholars, and providing nearly $200,000 in scholarships annually.

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the largest honor society in American higher education, administers the program.

"David was nominated because he is a true intellect," said Amybeth Maurer, director of orientation and Student Life. "He has the ability to make connections between classroom concepts and apply them to everyday life. He encourages deep discussion and dialogue among members of Phi Theta Kappa and inspires others to strive for academic excellence."

Friedman will be recognized as a 2016 Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Scholar on stage at Phi Theta Kappa's Convention in National Harbor, Md., April 7-9. Selection as a Coca-Cola Bronze Scholar was based on scores Friedman earned in the All-USA Community College Academic Team competition, for which more than 1,900 applications were received this year.

An independent panel of judges considers outstanding academic rigor, grade-point average, academic and leadership awards, and engagement in college and community service when selecting members of the Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team.

Friedman, who is following the design engineer career path, has been an active member in ECC's Rho Kappa Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. He is currently the scholarship officer and leads the "Honors in Action" project, engaging students to research, develop questions, and apply them to action on campus.

Sarah Blanchard, a health information management major studying at ECC, was also nominated. Blanchard has a 3.7 GPA and is currently the treasurer of Phi Theta Kappa-Rho Chapter. She plans to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago to further her studies. "Sarah was nominated because of her high ethic of care," Maurer said. "She believes in helping others realize their full potential and has been a great motivator to her peers as a Phi Theta Kappa officer. I admire her ability to see a situation from all sides and find solutions that work.

I'm so proud to see both Sarah and David recognized for their dedication to their studies as well as to Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I have no doubt that both of these students have made a lasting impact here at ECC and will contribute much to their transfer institutions and professional careers."