VGCC Student receives national academic honor and scholarship

Vance-Granville Community College graduate Dawn M. Tom of Oxford has been selected as a 2009 Coca-Cola National Finalist, an academic honor sponsored by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. His selection was based on scores he earned in USA TODAY’s All-USA Community College Academic Team competition. The program is administered by Phi Theta Kappa , the international honor society for students of two-year colleges. As one of 150 Coca-Cola finalists from across the nation, Tom (pictured above) received a $1,000 scholarship.

To be eligible for this recognition, students had to be enrolled at a community college through December 2008 and had to have a cumulative college-level grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. Campus leadership and service were also among the criteria.

Tom, a student in VGCC’s College Transfer program, completed his studies at the college in December 2008 and has transferred to N.C. State University, where is majoring in Electrical Engineering. While at VGCC, Tom served as one of the college’s student ambassadors, who represent the college at special campus and community functions, among other duties. He was also a member of Phi Theta Kappa and received two endowed VGCC scholarships.