Two Honors College Students Selected As Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholars

Kayla Ribeiro and Enrique Cruz were named 2023 Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholars by Phi Theta Kappa on March 31. 

Ribeiro and Cruz will each receive $1,500 for the next two years in recognition of their academic rigor and community service. They were two of four students in Florida to be selected for the scholarship. 

Ribeiro, 19, is a second-year computer science student at Kendall Campus. She serves as PTK secretary, president of the honors ambassadors program and the founder of the Girls Who Code chapter. 

“I was so shocked,” said Ribeiro, who was named a Jack Kent Cooke semifinalist last month. “I feel like my efforts are finally paying off.”

Cruz, 19, is a second-year political science student at Wolfson Campus. He currently serves as student government association secretary, the executive director for the PTK Chapter at his campus and works for civic influencers—a non-profit advocating for voting engagement. 

“It was well worth the work,” said Cruz, who is also a JKC semifinalist. “It takes a village to get these things done and I’m thankful for MDC being that village for me.”