JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
Brennen Welsh, a student at Northeastern Junior College, has been named a 2026 New Century Workforce Scholar and will receive a $1,500 scholarship.
This scholarship is the first of its kind to support students at associate degree-granting institutions on a national scale as they plan to enter the workforce upon completing a degree or certificate. The program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
New Century Workforce Scholars are selected based on their academic accomplishments, leadership, activities, and how they extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom. More than 2,300 students from nearly 1,400 college campuses nationwide were nominated. Only one New Century Workforce Scholar was selected from each state.
A native of Sterling, Welsh is majoring in Production and Precision Agriculture at Northeastern Junior College. Growing up around farming and agricultural equipment, he developed an early appreciation for the agriculture industry and a strong interest in how precision agriculture technology can improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. That passion led him to pursue a degree focused on the future of modern agricultural operations.
Welsh has earned multiple President’s List honors and received several scholarships and work-study opportunities while balancing rigorous coursework with valuable hands-on experience in the field. He is actively involved in campus organizations, including Phi Theta Kappa and Aggies, where he has built leadership skills and strong connections with classmates and instructors. Following graduation, Welsh plans to continue his internship with 21st Century Equipment as a Precision Ag Consultant and explore additional opportunities within the industry as he builds his professional career in agriculture.
“We congratulate Brennen for receiving this prestigious scholarship, and we are honored to partner with The Coca-Cola Foundation to recognize these outstanding achievements,” said Phi Theta Kappa’s President and CEO, Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner. “Scholarship programs like this are integral for creating opportunities for students to succeed as they prepare to enter the workforce and for putting college completion within reach.”
The New Century Workforce Scholars will be recognized at Phi Theta Kappa’s annual convention, PTK Catalyst, in Baltimore, Maryland, March 26-28.
About The Coca-Cola Foundation
The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company. Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 billion in grants to support sustainable community initiatives around the world. For more information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, please visit coca-colagivingback.com.
About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the first honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,250 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.