Illinois Valley Community College sophomore Emma Coss of Ottawa has been recognized as one of the nation’s outstanding community college students and will receive a $1,500 scholarship as a 2025 Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar.
The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Coca-Cola All-USA Academic Team Program recognizes community college students with scholarships worth nearly $200,000 annually. Each year, 50 Gold, 50 Silver and 50 Bronze scholars are selected from more than 2,000 applicants.
Coss learned over Spring Break she had received the award. “I was excited, but I did not understand how big a deal it was. I came back from Spring Break and everyone was congratulating me!”
Coss, who is an award-winning editor of the campus student newspaper, IV Leader, plans to major in communications at Illinois State University in Normal. “That field combines my passion and aspirations perfectly. With a career in that field, I can make an impact on people’s lives.”
The newspaper, leadership roles with the Hispanic Leadership Team and Project Success, and working part time in the admissions department “have all helped me grow and taught me about leadership and organization,” Coss said.
These opportunities also earned her a seat on several student panels, which forced her out of her comfort zone. “It was very stressful because I do not like public speaking, but I do not panic as much as I used to, and I hope that my being there is helping a student in the audience.”
When the scholarship application required her to propose a solution to an issue, Coss – who also is active in student government – proposed ways student government could lead mental health awareness efforts.
“Students tend to neglect their mental health and wellness, and it is really important that they know it is OK to ask for help, that they are not alone, and that some mental health crisis is a universal college experience,” she said.
Coss also chronicled her struggles and experiences in a low-income, single-parent family, surrounded by domestic violence. “Through therapy and a lot of self-reflection, I have learned resilience and the power of self-advocacy. Mental illness was always a part of my family’s life, and I struggled with feeling like I could not ask for help or tell people. I want to express what I have learned to others.”
Student newspaper adviser Lori Cinotte and student government adviser Cory Tomasson, who have worked with Coss, praise her leadership and contribution to IVCC. Cinotte, who recommended Coss for the scholarship, commended Coss for “all she does to represent IVCC’s student body on campus and in our community.” Tomasson said Coss [MD1] “is willing to provide her time and input to help others.”
The program is sponsored by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and administered by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Academic Team members are recognized in local and statewide ceremonies and internationally.
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