Jacqueline Roman Named Sandy Williams Alumni Legacy Scholar

After receiving inspiring nominations from the Coca-Cola Scholars class of 2015, the Alumni Advisory Board has selected Jacqueline Roman to be the recipient of the Sandy Williams Alumni Legacy Scholarship.

The Sandy Williams Alumni Legacy Scholarship is awarded to an active and passionate Coke Scholar who is an engaged and supportive alumnus, and embodies the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation’s mission as a socially conscious, service-minded change agent. SWALS recipients are true difference-makers with strong initiative and powerful, strong voices, with deep passions for creating, leading and administering their own initiatives to educate, enrich, and serve others.

Jacqueline’s commitment to keep in touch with her fellow 2015 Scholar class as well as her selfless commitment to service made her stand out.

One of her nominators said, “Jacqueline is someone who can critique herself in a constructive way and take criticism very well, but I’d argue that she’s even better at putting herself in the position of others. She listens, before responding, and is incredibly present.”

Jaqueline (second from left) and some of her fellow 2015 Coca-Cola Scholars at their Scholars Weekend.

The SWALS scholarship includes a $5,000 award to attend a meaningful leadership or service enrichment experience and 2 years of service on the Alumni Advisory Board starting in the fall of 2017.

Jacqueline is currently an honors student at the Ohio State University studying computer science and design. From Coshocton, Ohio, she founded, organized, and ran her town’s first diversity club to promote cultural awareness.

Continuing her work in social justice and diversity, Jacqueline is a Morrill Scholar of Distinction in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at OSU. A member of the Morrill Scholars Program Communications Team, she is developing strategies to strengthen connections between MSP scholars. Last year she received the Edward Drake Beanie Endowment Fund for her involvement in multiple entrepreneurship and research related organizations on campus.

Part of the 2015 class of Coke Scholars at the World of Coca-Cola (Jacqueline in top left).

For the class of 2015, the SWALS selection process changed from years past. Instead of selecting the SWALS recipient as a high school seniors at their Scholars Weekend, the AAB selected the recipient as a college sophomore based on peer nominations.

The Sandy Williams Alumni Legacy Scholarship is jointly funded by Coca-Cola Scholar alumni and Coca-Cola bottlers in honor of Sandy Williams, who served as chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Directors for 14 years and as President of Corinth Coca-Cola Bottling Co. in Mississippi. Mr. Williams is a humble servant leader, dedicated to bettering his community and profession through selfless action, and the selected SWALS embodies and lives those values.

Past SWALS recipients include Akbar Khan, Justin Pearson, Colton Jang, Sarah Williams, Radhika Mitra, Austin Shaw, and Michael Tubbs.