Valencia College student Zahra Batul 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 encouraged to assume leadership roles by participating in Society programs and are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service, and leadership potential.
In 2025, Batul, an international student from Kampala, Uganda, was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society with more than 4.3 million members in 11 countries. She has served as president of her campus chapter at Valencia College.
Also active in the college’s International Club, Batul currently studies business at Valencia College, and plans to major in finance when she transfers to the University of Central Florida.
“My goal is to build a successful career in corporate finance with a focus on strategic financial decision making,” she says. “By mastering these skills, I want to empower the next generation with essential financial literacy knowledge by teaching youth how to make smart and informed decisions with their money. And long term, I plan to use my knowledge to mentor future business leaders and launch impactful financial initiatives across both 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 multiple Global Leaders of Promise Scholarships earmarked for international students.
“The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” said Jane Hale Paulsen, president of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa to make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals and support tomorrow’s leaders of the global community.”
The funds provided by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation not only aid college completion but also give students the opportunity to engage in Society programs and develop leadership skills to become future leaders in their communities.
“Research shows that Phi Theta Kappa members are four times more likely to complete a college degree than their peers,” said Amanda Karpinski Gorman, executive director of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation. “The Leaders of Promise Scholarships recognize students for what they have achieved already and assure that financial need isn’t an obstacle to achieving their academic goals.”
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The society is made up of more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,250 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org