Bauwens named Coca-Cola Scholars semifinalist

Lily Bauwens has been named a semifinalist for the prestigious 2027 Coca-Cola Scholars Program, placing her among approximately 1 percent of high school seniors nationwide who applied for the scholarship.

Bauwens was one of just 1,227 students selected from more than 113,000 applicants across the United States to advance to the second round of the competition. The program recognizes graduating seniors for their academic achievements, leadership abilities and service to their schools and communities.

“It is truly an honor to be considered a semifinalist for the Coca-Cola scholarship,” Bauwens said. “To be chosen out of so many applicants is extremely rewarding and shows my hard work in and out of high school matters.”

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program is one of the nation’s largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship programs. Each year, 150 graduating seniors are selected to receive $20,000 college scholarships, representing a total annual investment of $3 million.

Established in 1986 through a partnership between The Coca-Cola Company and its bottlers, the program has awarded more than $90 million in scholarships since its first awards in 1989.

Bauwens hopes to pursue a career helping others through mental health counseling. Following graduation, she plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in a field preparing her for counseling and therapy, followed by a master’s degree in mental health counseling. She is also considering eventually pursuing a doctorate in psychology.

For now, Bauwens is concentrating on the next stage of the scholarship competition.

“I am currently working on my semifinalist application, which includes some short responses and essays,” she said.

Semifinalists must complete additional application materials, including essays, academic transcripts and a recommendation. An independent selection committee will then narrow the field to 250 regional finalists in early January.

Those finalists will participate in online interviews before the field is reduced to 150 Coca-Cola Scholars-select in February. The selected students will attend Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend in Atlanta, Georgia, April 15-18, 2027, where they will participate in leadership development activities and be honored at the program’s annual banquet.

Although several rounds remain before the final scholarship recipients are announced, Bauwens is already grateful for the recognition.

“I’m truly honored to be chosen to move on to the next round of applying for this scholarship, and this is an amazing opportunity for me,” she said.