Jessica Sedam named a 2014 Coca-Cola Leader of Promise Scholar

El Dorado, Kan. – Jessica Sedam, a Butler Community College student from Wichita, has been selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship from Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society as a 2014 Coca-Cola Leader of Promise Scholar. Sedam, a graduate of Wichita East High school, was among 207 Phi Theta Kappa members to be awarded a total of $207,000 in scholarships.

Chosen from more than 900 applications worldwide, the scholars receive scholarships of $1,000 each to further their associate degree studies. Independent judges evaluate the applications based on scholastic achievement, community service and leadership potential. The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program provides new Phi Theta Kappa members with financial resources to help defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. Scholars are also encouraged to assume leadership roles by participating in Society programs.

Sedam, a member of Butler’s Phi Theta Kappa, is earning her associates degree in accounting and plans to transfer to Wichita State University in Fall 2015. She is married and has three children in the home, a stepdaughter age 12, and two daughters, ages 5 and 3. Sedam works full-time and volunteers at her church each week. She volunteers at her daughters’ schools and serves on the PTO. Despite her busy schedule, she has achieved Butler’s President’s Honor Roll and has been a two-year recipient of the Dean’s scholarship. She has also received a $1000 scholarship from Teachers of Accounting at Two-Year Colleges (TACTYC).

More about the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation provides $200,000 in funding for the scholarships, with $25,000 set aside for members who are veterans or active members of the U.S. military. The remaining amount is supported by donations to the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation and provides Leaders of Promise Global Scholarships, earmarked for international students.

"These funds not only aid college completion, but provide students with the opportunity to engage in Society programs and develop leadership skills to become future leaders in Phi Theta Kappa. So the funds are not only an investment in our students, they are an investment in the future of our organization and the colleges and communities we serve,” said Dr. Rod Risley, Executive Director and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. “Congratulations to our 2014 recipients. Without a doubt the Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise program will make a tremendous impact on the lives of these hard-working, high-achieving students -- making it possible for them to complete their associate degrees."

"The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges," said J. Mark Davis, President of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. "We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa and make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals. Phi Theta Kappa members are proven scholars, engaged students who want to use their abilities to make a difference. In designating $200,000 for Leaders of Promise, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is supporting tomorrow's leaders of the global community."

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, headquartered in Jackson, Miss., is the largest honor society in higher education with 1,285 chapters on college campuses in all 50 of the United States, plus Canada, Germany, the Republic of Palau, Peru, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the British Virgin Islands, the United Arab Emirates and U.S. territorial possessions. Nearly 3 million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918, with approximately 132,000 students inducted annually.