GMC News

GMC Phi Theta Kappa Student Wins Coca-Cola Bronze Level Scholarship

Teaching students through character-based education is a core value at Georgia Military College (GMC). At each of GMC’s 15 campuses throughout the state of Georgia, extra-curricular activities, clubs, and organizations are offered outside of the classroom, one of those is Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), a premier honor society recognizing the academic achievements of community college students and helping them grow as scholars and leaders. At this year’s Phi Theta Kappa All-State Georgia Coca-Cola Scholars luncheon, GMC-Fairburn student, Shannon Timberlake, represented the Georgia Military College Phi Theta Kappa Scholars.

Out of the 16 Phi Theta Kappa Scholars in attendance from seven different colleges around the state, Timberlake was selected for the 2019 All-Georgia Academic Team and the only Phi Theta Kappa member in the state to win the Coca-Cola Bronze Level Scholarship, receiving a $1,000 scholarship.

Dr. Naaman Josiah Pamoja, Academic Dean at GMC-Fayetteville and GMC-Zebulon and Phi Theta Kappa Advisor at GMC-Fairburn, says it was an honor to attend the luncheon with Timberlake.

“I’m so grateful to have been able to attend the scholars luncheon this year with my former student, Shannon Timberlake,” Pamoja said. “It was certainly a very well-deserved day and memorable day for Shannon, myself, and GMC. Towards the end of the luncheon, it was great to see the two Coca-Cola officials speak to Shannon briefly about her anticipated career path in History/Records Archives Preservation. They also invited her to tour the Coca-Cola archives at the Atlanta Headquarters. Shannon has been an exceptional representation of what you can achieve at Georgia Military College.”

Timberlake was the only GMC student representative at the luncheon, and says it was a “wow” moment for her.

“I felt a sense of great accomplishment and confidence being the only GMC student there,” Timberlake said. “Receiving the Bronze Scholarship was so surreal but it felt great as I’ve worked very hard at my studies, within my community, and with the Beta Zeta Alpha Chapter.”

Timberlake says she wanted to join the GMC Phi Theta Kappa Scholars to be the “best student” she could be.

“Phi Theta Kappa  has helped me to develop as a student because it has kept me focused on maintaining a high standard of scholarship and has allowed me to work with a variety of people in differing situations, doing great things for our community, our chapter, and ourselves,” Timberlake said. “I feel that one of the most significant accomplishments of a student is being able to co-create and work efficiently with others and I’ve been able to do that through Phi Theta Kappa.”

Congratulations to Shannon Timberlake and all the GMC Phi Theta Kappa scholars!