Nov. 21, 2022

Senior named 2023 Coca-Cola Scholar Semifinalist

Upper St. Clair High School senior Peer ‘Qadir’ Khan was recently named a 2023 Coca-Cola Scholar Semifinalist. Qadir is one of only 13 in Allegheny County and 100 in Pennsylvania to earn this honor. Nationally, less than two percent of all applicants were selected as Semifinalists.

“Only 1,557 Semifinalists were chosen among 91,000+ applicants this year because of their outstanding leadership, academic achievements, and dedication to their community,” Jane Hale Hopkins, president of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, said. “We believe that identifying these young leaders throughout the country and encouraging their passion for serving others not only empowers the students, but also lifts up those around them.”

This past fall, Qadir was named a National Merit Semifinalist and an AP Scholar with Distinction. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Speech & Debate Team, and Law & Politics Club. He plays an active role on a four-student team that advanced to the national Academic WorldQuest competition for the last two years. In June 2022, Qadir earned an Academic All American Award from the National Speech & Debate Association.

Semifinalists are now asked to complete Phase 2 applications, which include essays, a recommendation, and a transcript. An independent selection committee will review the applications and recommend 250 Regional Finalists by the end of January to take part in online interviews. One hundred fifty Coke Scholars will be named in March to receive a $20,000 college scholarship and attend Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend in Atlanta in April 2023, where they will be the guests of honor at the 35th annual Coca-Cola Scholars Banquet and participate in the Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Development Institute facilitated by program alumni.

A joint effort of Coca-Cola bottlers across the country and The Coca-Cola Company, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the United States. With the addition of the 2023 class, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will have provided more than 6,750 Coke Scholars nationwide with over $81 million in scholarships over the course of 35 years.

The full list of Semifinalists is available online at www.coca-colascholars.org.