Willowbrook senior named Coca-Cola Scholar

Willowbrook senior Sally Nijim has been recognized for her leadership through being named as a Coca-Cola Scholar by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.

As a member of the 28th class of Coca-Cola Scholars, Nijim has been awarded a $20,000 college scholarship for demonstrating superior leadership and dedication to Willowbrook and the community. She was selected from a pool of more than 87,000 initial applicants.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a joint effort of Coca-Cola Bottlers throughout the U.S. and The Coca-Cola Company, is one of the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship programs of its kind in the U.S. and was created in 1986 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Including the 2016 class of Coca-Cola Scholars, the foundation has awarded more than 5,700 Coca-Cola Scholars with a total of $59.4 million in scholarships. The Coca-Cola system believes that investing in students who are leaders – both academically and in service to others – will result in positive, lasting change and sustainable communities.

“Nijim is part of a diverse group of extraordinary high school seniors, who have shown a steadfast commitment to educational excellence, leadership and service to the school and community,” said Claude Nielsen, Chairman of the Board of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and President and Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola Bottling Company United in Birmingham, Ala. “The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is proud to name Nijim as a 2016 Coca-Cola Scholar.”

On March 31, Nijim will join other Coca-Cola Scholars as they travel to Atlanta, the international headquarters of The Coca-Cola Company, for Scholars Weekend. During that four-day weekend, the Scholars will participate in a Leadership Development Institute to further develop their leadership skills, tour local landmarks, engage with former Coca-Cola Scholars and participate in a group community service project. Members of the 2016 class of Coca-Cola Scholars also will be the guests of honor at the 28th annual Scholars Banquet, where they will be celebrated by representatives from the Coca-Cola system, educators, local dignitaries and friends of the Scholars Foundation. David Rubenstein, American financier and philanthropist best known as co-founder and co-chief executive officer of The Carlyle Group, will serve as the keynote speaker.

Nijim also will be welcomed into a vibrant and growing family of alumni that fosters lasting connections with each other and the Foundation. In 2006, a Coca-Cola Scholar Alumni Advisory Board was created, so alumni could make an even greater positive impact together.

Nijim is a member of Willowbrook’s Math Team, Science Olympiad, Scholastic Bowl, Model United Nations, the Principal’s Leadership Team and a variety of academic honor societies. She also is a chairperson for Relay For Life.

Nijim is applying to top-tier universities, including Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where she plans to major in biology and chemistry and pursue a career as a physician-scientist. Nijim thanks the Willowbrook staff members for their support and guidance.