FORT WORTH, Texas — Madelyn Kientz, a standout business major at Tarrant County College Trinity River, has been named a 2025 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar. She’s one of only 220 Phi Theta Kappa members nationwide so recognized this year.
“For one of our Phi Theta Kappa members to receive an honor of this magnitude is a proud moment for our campus chapter,” said chapter advisor Carter Bedford, director of student development services at TCC Trinity River. “This recognition provides meaningful financial support to the student, plus it elevates the chapter’s reputation for academic excellence and leadership.”
Bedford said earning a Coca-Cola scholarship sends a message to the campus community: Phi Theta Kappa opens doors to real, life-changing opportunities.
The $1,000 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship helps new Phi Theta Kappa members defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. Recipients are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service and leadership potential. More than 600 applications were received.
Kientz, a 2025 inductee into TCC Trinity River’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter, Beta Sigma Mu, intends to transfer to UT Dallas to study management information systems. She envisions a career in data science or user-centered design, where she hopes to improve products through data-driven solutions.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the resources and support TCC has provided,” she said. “It has made this dream feel within reach.”
A total of $220,000 will be awarded this year through the scholarship program. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation provides $200,000 for the scholarships, with $25,000 set aside for veterans and active members of the military. Additional funding comes from donations to the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation, which also provides multiple Global Leaders of Promise Scholarships for international students.
“The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” said foundation President Jane Hale Paulsen. “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.”
Amanda Karpinski Gorman, interim executive director of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation, added that research shows Phi Theta Kappa members being four times more likely to complete a college degree than their peers. “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 first honor society recognizing the academic accomplishments of students at associate degree-granting colleges. PTK has more than 4.4 million members worldwide and nearly 1,250 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 members in U.S. colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.
Celebrating 60 years of excellence and impact in 2025, Tarrant County College is one of the nation’s largest higher education institutions and boasts the second lowest tuition of Texas’ Top 10 community colleges. A comprehensive community college with six campuses in Tarrant County, TCC offers a range of opportunities for learners of all ages and backgrounds.