April 9, 2019

Sophomore named a Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar

Sophomore Thomas Billups Jr. serves as an officer in Triton’s Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society chapter, and is a member of Triton’s Black Academic Student Association (B.A.S.A.) and TRIUMPH Program.

Thomas Billups, a sophomore Information Technology student at Triton College, has been named a 2019 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Students are nominated for the academic team by their college administrators. Selection is based on academic achievement, leadership, and engagement in college and community service.

“I was truly honored to receive this scholarship,” said Billups, a Berkeley resident and graduate of Walther Christian Academy. “I worked so hard to get to this moment, and I could have never made it without the help of my parents and people I surrounded myself with. Not only am I representing Triton, I’m also represented the black community. It’s truly a huge honor to let people know that black people are out here making academic achievements.”

Billups serves as an officer in Triton’s Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society chapter, and is a member of Triton’s Black Academic Student Association (B.A.S.A.) and TRIUMPH Program. He plans to transfer to DePaul University and pursue a career in the cybersecurity industry. Billups is active in his community, volunteering at Oak Park Rush Hospital and the Bellwood Public Library among others.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Coca-Cola Academic Team program by recognizing 50 Gold, 50 Silver and 50 Bronze scholars with nearly $200,000 in scholarships annually. Each scholar also receives a commemorative medallion.

“The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” said Jane Hale Hopkins, president of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa and make it possible for deserving students to achieve their educational goals.”

Coca-Cola Academic Team members will be recognized in both local and statewide ceremonies and were also recognized internationally during Phi Theta Kappa’s annual convention in early April in Orlando, Fla.

“We thank the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation for recognizing these student leaders and for investing in their futures,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. “Scholarships like these are integral to the success of these students in reaching their educational and career goals.”

Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of community college students and helping them 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 ptk.org.