SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER

Joshua Hollis of Alabaster, a student at the University of Alabama, was recently awarded a scholarship through the Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship Program. Hollis was one of twelve students chosen by UA and The Coca-Cola Foundation to receive a $5,000 per-year scholarship.

The financial aid was awarded by Gary Fayard, chief financial officer for the Coca-Cola Co. and UA President Dr. Robert E. Witt during a luncheon in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 22.

The scholarships are part of a $1 million scholarship donation made by The Coca-Cola Foundation to UA&8217;s &8220;Our Students. Our Future.&8221; campaign. The grant is an extension of The Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship Program and UA is the program&8217;s first public institution partner in more than 10 years.

&8220;We are pleased that The Coca-Cola Foundation has chosen to be a partner in our vision to be a &8216;university of choice&8217; for the best and brightest,&8221; said UA President Dr. Robert E. Witt. &8220;One million dollars is the largest scholarship that The University of Alabama has ever received.&8221;

In addition, the students recently awarded the four-year scholarship will be joined by groups of 12 students in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

A total of 48 students will receive $20,000 scholarships each over seven years. The donation also includes $40,000 in scholarships for freshman orientation classes.

&8220;The Coca-Cola Foundation is pleased to help deserving students from Alabama who, without this scholarship, might otherwise not have the opportunity to attend college. It is especially rewarding for us to play a part in supporting students who are the first in their families to attend college,&8221; said Gary Fayard, chief financial officer for The Coca-Cola Co., TCCF treasurer and a UA alumnus.

To be considered for the scholarship award, students must demonstrate financial need and be the first in their immediate families to attend college. Scholarship recipients must enroll as full-time students from Alabama and attain and maintain a 2.8 grade point average in their freshman year and a 3.0 GPA thereafter.

The &8220;Our Students. Our Future.&8221; campaign&8217;s $500 million goal includes $250 million for student scholarships. The remaining funds are allocated to faculty support, facilities and priority needs. The campaign has raised more than $299 million since 2002.

The mission of The Coca-Cola Foundation is to improve the quality of life in the community and enhance individual opportunity through education.