Lone Star College-Tomball sophomore Kristin White was recently named as a recipient of one of this year's Coca Cola Foundation Scholarships for two- year college students.
The 22 -year-old White who resides in Magnolia is one of 350 junior college students from across the nation named as scholarship recipients this year.
The Coca Cola Foundation provides some 1,400 scholarships totaling $3.4 million through its two programs, one program for junior college students and another for graduating high school seniors.
To qualify as a recipient, students must meet certain criteria for scholarship, leadership and community service. Qualifying students must be citizens or legal residents of the United States, and carry a minimum grade point average of 2.5 at the time of their nomination. They also must be actively engaged in volunteer service or be employed on at least a part-time basis.
White, a graduate of home schooling before entering Lone Star College– Tomball, is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for junior colleges.
"With Phi Theta Kappa we do service projects," she said. "We're looking at doing a nature trail clean up with the Biology Club and we're doing some Hurricane Ike relief work."
On an individual basis, White is also active in her church, Magnolia Church of Christ, where she has been working with the youth there for about three years.
She said this work is very fulfilling as she strives to serve as a mentor and role model for these youngsters. White said she enjoys seeing the youth members "get stuff they didn't get before and seeing them grow."
"They teach me so much," she said of her young charges at the church. "I've very close to them. They're like my brothers and sisters."
White is majoring in English and has lofty goals for her future. After obtaining her Associate of Arts degree from Lone Star College-Tomball, she wants to continue her education at Sam Houston State University and become a writer and eventually a literary editor after graduation.
White said she learned of the Coca Cola Foundation Scholarship from her Phi Theta Kappa adviser who suggested she complete an application for the scholarship.
Winning a Coca-Cola Foundation Scholarship is indeed a blessing for her in helping her ease the financial strain of paying for college, she said.
"I was able to pay for all my classes and all my books," said White. "This was a big relief for me. I was thinking about having to get a student loan this year. So, I didn't have to worry about it all."
Lone Star College System consists of five colleges, including Cy-Fair, Kingwood, Montgomery, North Harris, and Tomball, six centers and Lone Star College-University Center. With 49,250 students, it is the largest college system in the Houston area, and third largest community college district in Texas. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.