Rocky Banda to receive Coca-Cola Leader of Promise Scholarship
When Rocky Banda learned he had been named a 2022 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar and would receive a $1,000 award that goes with it, his first inclination was to look ahead – to consider how he might one day pay it forward.
Banda, 41, is a psychology major at Amarillo College who has endured drug dependency leading to homelessness and incarceration. His goal these many years since is to become a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) and help others with similar experiences to his own get back on their feet.
“I was in awe when I was notified about this award,” Banda said, “It’s an honor for which I’m truly thankful. I know the difference between a handout and a hand-up, and this is a hand-up.
“I want to be able one day to help the next person who needs a hand-up, and I hope to do that by using this money to complete my degree at AC, then going for my LCDC at Texas Tech (University).”
Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society administers the Leaders of Promise Scholarship program, and Banda is one of only 207 PTK members selected nationwide to receive the $1,000 scholarship, from an applicant pool of 1,300.
The program helps new Phi Theta Kappa members defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. Scholars are encouraged to assume leadership roles by participating in PTK programs and are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service, and leadership potential.
Banda, who serves as vice president for AC’s chapter of PTK, anticipates completing his associate degree next spring. He next wants to attend Texas Tech’s renowned Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery.
Originally from Sterling, Colo., Banda said he had to overcome his fears when he first enrolled at AC in the spring semester of 2021, particularly because the pandemic compelled students to pursue many academic offerings online.
“I had a lot of fear back then,” Banda said, “because by taking classes online I wouldn’t have that face-to-face interaction with my professors that I thought was essential for success. But I soon came to understand that AC has a ton of resources available and all you have to do is ask.
“For many years of my life I didn’t really give myself a chance to achieve anything,” he said. “Then I came to AC and had to spend a lot of hours understanding new ways of education. But it turns out that when you put forth the effort, things work out better than you ever thought they would. I mean, if you’d have told me five years ago that I’d become the vice president of a national honor society, I’d have said you were nuts.
“What an honor it has been to learn and follow my dreams at Amarillo College.”
A total of $207,000 is awarded through the Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program.
“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 to make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals and support tomorrow’s leaders of the global community.”
The funds provided by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation not only aid college completion, but also give students the opportunity to engage in Society programs and develop leadership skills to become future leaders in their communities.