LA PLATA, Md. — David Bailey, a second-year student at the College of Southern Maryland, has clinched a spot as a 2025 Coca-Cola Academic Team Silver Scholar, earning a $1,250 scholarship and a shiny medallion. Announced March 17, 2025, the award from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation celebrates Bailey’s standout academics, leadership, and community service, placing him among 50 Silver Scholars in a nationwide program that dishes out nearly $200,000 annually to 150 top community college students.
Bailey, set to wrap up his CSM studies this spring, isn’t stopping there. “Receiving the Coca-Cola Silver Scholar Award proves to me that the financial resources for academics are available and achievable for those willing to seek them,” he said. With his sights on the University of Maryland at College Park, he plans to dive deeper into computer science and data science—fields he’s eager to shape his career around. “As long as I’m working with computers, then I think that I’ll be happy,” he added, his ambition as clear as his code.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, partnering with Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, fuels this recognition. “We are proud to make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals and support tomorrow’s global community leaders,” said Jane Hale Hopkins, the foundation’s president. The program, which also names 50 Gold and 50 Bronze Scholars, honors students nominated by college administrators for their all-around excellence. Bailey’s win reflects CSM’s knack for nurturing talent, one of over 1,200 Phi Theta Kappa chapters worldwide, per the society’s site.
Come April 3-5, Bailey will bask in the spotlight at PTK Catalyst in Kansas City, alongside local and statewide ceremonies. “Scholarships like these are integral to the success of these students,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, Phi Theta Kappa’s president and CEO. The foundation, doling out $3.55 million yearly across its programs per its website, has backed over 1,400 students, a legacy Bailey now joins. Maryland’s community colleges, enrolling over 100,000 students annually per the Maryland Association of Community Colleges, thrive with such boosts.
For Bailey, a Southern Maryland native, this scholarship isn’t just cash—it’s a launchpad. As he gears up for College Park, his medallion symbolizes a step toward a future wired for impact.
