Friday, June 8, 2018

Sophak Seng Named a 2018 New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar Seng Only Virginia Student Selected

(Richmond, Virginia – June 4, 2018) Reynolds Community College student Sophak Seng has been named an inaugural 2018 New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar and will receive a $1,250 scholarship. Only one New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar was selected from each state. More than 2,000 students were nominated from more than 1,600 college campuses across the country. Reynolds student Seng was chosen out of all the Virginia students nominated.

New Century Workforce Pathway Scholars are selected based on their academic accomplishments, leadership, activities, and how they extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom. This new scholarship is the first of its kind to support students at associate degree-granting institutions who plan to enter the workforce upon the completion of a degree or certificate on a national scale. The program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation and Phi Theta Kappa.

Seng is in his third year at Reynolds. After his first year in Reynolds’ ESL program he continued his studies with the goal of earning an AAS in Medical Laboratory Technology and an AS in Science. Seng credits his brother, a Reynolds graduate, with inspiring him to pursue his degree first at Reynolds and then to continue his education at Virginia Commonwealth University. 

Seng’s passion for the field of medical technology was also fueled by losing his mother at a young age to lung cancer and experiencing his family’s financial devastation paying for her care. “Becoming an MLT gives me an opportunity to save people’s lives,” Seng says. Getting his associates degree at Reynolds will help him save money so he can continue pursuing his ultimate goal of earning a master’s degree.  

“Education can change lives and help ensure that young people can realize their full potential,” said Helen Price, executive director of The Coca-Cola Foundation. “The Coca-Cola Foundation places a high priority on supporting education to help build strong communities.”

“We congratulate Sophak for receiving this prestigious scholarship, and we are honored to partner with The Coca-Cola Foundation to recognize his outstanding achievements,” said Phi Theta Kappa’s President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner. “Scholarship programs like this are integral for creating opportunities for students to succeed as they prepare to enter the workforce and for putting college completion within reach.”

The New Century Workforce Pathway Scholars will be recognized during the Association of Community College Trustees’ (ACCT) Congress in New York City in October 2018. 

About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of college students to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 nations. Learn more at about PTK.

About The Coca-Cola Foundation
The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company. Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has awarded more than $830 million in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world. For more information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, please visit the Coca-Cola Foundation.