The Coca-Cola Company Announces Kyle Kuzmick Recipient of the 2009-2010 Goizueta Scholars Fund Award

Business Wire, June 24, 2009

ATLANTA -- Kyle Kuzmick, a recent graduate of Portage Central High School in Portage, MI, was named one of five recipients of the 2009-2010 Goizueta Scholars Fund award, established through a personal bequest by Roberto C. Goizueta, former chairman and chief executive officer of The Coca-Cola Company.

Beneficiaries of The Goizueta Scholars Fund are the children of employees and alumni of The Coca-Cola Company, who are selected on the basis of their academic record, community service, honors, work experience, career goals and financial need. Each year, the program awards undergraduate scholarships of up to $25,000 per student. Awards are renewable for three additional years or until the student earns a bachelor's degree.

Kuzmick, whose father, Michael Kuzmick, is an employee of The Coca-Cola Company, is a scholar, athlete, and devoted community volunteer. He has recorded more than 1,000 hours of community service with several Portage community organizations, including the Borgess Hospital, Binder Park Zoo, Kalamazoo Museum, Portage Public Library, St. Catherine’s Migrant Ministry, where he was given the Prudential Spirit of Community Certificate of Achievement, and the Boy Scouts of America, where he earned Eagle Scout with palms, in addition to serving as troop guide, crew leader, and junior assistant scout master. For his community work, his high school honored him with the Portage Central Community Service Award three times.

In addition, Kuzmick was a member of the school’s National Honor Society, the Latin Club, Forensics Team, Science Olympiad, and a member of the school’s swim team, where he was a varsity letterman and placed at the state level.

Kuzmick plans on becoming a physician. "For a long time I have been very involved in volunteering and helping others. Medicine seems a natural progression for my desire to serve others. I have excelled in math and love science. I have chosen biochemistry as an undergraduate major. Then, I plan to complete medical school. Community service will remain an important part of my life. This scholarship will help me fulfill these goals." He will attend Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI.

In addition to Kuzmick, the other four Goizueta recipients include: Jessica Conley of Sunbury, OH, who will attend Otterbein College in Westerville, OH; Mason Roberson of Paw Paw, MI, who will also attend Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI; Ameerah Mosley of McDonough, GA, and Jasmine Williams of College Park, GA, both of whom will attend Spelman College in Atlanta, GA.

The scholarship fund was established in 2000 by The Goizueta Foundation at the bequest of Mr. Goizueta, who appreciated the value of education and its role in the future success of young people. It was his desire to help the children of his extended family – The Coca-Cola Company’s employees – to fulfill their dreams of attending the college or university of their choice and becoming successful. Mr. Goizueta led The Coca-Cola Company from 1981 until his death in 1997.

Over the past nine years, scholarships have been awarded to 66 students, totaling more than $2.7 million. The program is administered by Scholarship America, a national non-profit student aid organization.