Mackenzie Park, a student at Southeastern Community College, has been named a 2020 Coca-Cola Military Leadership of Promise Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Launched in 2001, the Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise scholarship program was established to encourage leadership development through participation in Phi Theta Kappa chapters and to provide financial resources that assist PTK members with obtaining associate degrees. Park was 1 of 700 applicants.

“It’s a true honor, and I am absolutely thrilled to have been chosen for this award,” says Park.

Park is a native of the Pacific Northwest and moved to Columbus County at the end of her high school years. She is currently the SGA President and a member of Phi Theta Kappa with a 4.0 GPA. Park is expected to graduate in May of 2021.

Meg Sellers, Student Engagement Coordinator at SCC nominated Park. “Mackenzie has a willingness to serve her fellow students, a strong commitment to serve her community, and her academic excellence and leadership qualities are stellar,” she explained.

Park is active on the SCC campus and enjoys supporting any opportunity to enhance college life for other students. She was a proud member of the US Army and knows the value of being a team player.

“Growing up, I played sports, volunteered every chance I had, and participated in clubs but I wanted to push myself more,” explains Park. “I eventually joined the United States Army. My time in the military was cut short after I was left injured from a military-related accident. I bounced around and lived all over the country trying to figure out what my life was going to look like. I finally decided on going back to school, and my path naturally unfolded in front of me.”

She is a daily presence in the SGA office where she serves as a work-study and volunteers the remainder of the day when not in class.

She is currently enrolled at SCC in the Criminal Studies and Forensic Science program. After graduating, she hopes to further her education at a 4-year university with the hopes of eventually working in a federal agency as a crime scene investigator.

The Coca-Cola Scholars program awards as much as $200,000 in scholarships – 200 awards worth $1,000 each – annually. Of these scholarships, 25 are earmarked for current members of the military or military veterans. Students must have a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA in order to be eligible for the awards.

Pictured: Mackenzie Park