Connor Nowlan Named 2018 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar

Quinsigamond Community College  Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) student Connor Nowlan has been named a 2018 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship through the Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program. Mr. Nowlan was one of 207 PTK students chosen from a national pool of over 1,200 applicants.The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program helps new PTK members defray educational expenses, while enrolled in associate degree programs. Scholars are also encouraged to assume leadership roles by participating in PTK programs and are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service, and leadership potential.

"I am often promoting PTK to my friends and the high school students I know. PTK is a great resource that I was unaware of in high school. I feel if more people knew about PTK when they were in high school, they would have been more likely to consider community colleges,” Mr. Nowlan said.

Mr. Nowlan is currently attending QCC’s Business Administration Transfer program and taking online classes, while also working full-time.

"This scholarship is a massive help to me. It allows me to save more of my personal income for my future goals and spend this scholarship on tuition and textbooks. This scholarship makes my future goals more obtainable by assisting me with savings,” he continued.

“Research shows that PTK members are four times more likely to complete a college degree than their peers,” said Dr. Monica Marlowe, 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 is not an obstacle to achieving their academic goals.”

Mr. Nowlan said QCC's online Business Administration Transfer program was the perfect fit for him and hopes to transfer to the UMass Isenberg School of Management to obtain his bachelor’s degree.

“This program has allowed me to work full-time and go to college full-time, allowing me to pay for it as I go and minimize my student loan debt. I think community colleges are fantastic and wished more people considered them prior to making the jump into a four-year school.  All my professors at QCC have been wonderful and I have learned a lot in my time here,” he said.