Albany State students among group selected for Coca-Cola internships

ATLANTA — Two Albany State University students were among 32 selected by Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Inc. for the 2023 class of its Pay It Forward internship program, a weeklong experience that provides students attending historically black colleges and universities an opportunity to celebrate their achievements and build on their success.

Jarvis Washington and Carmen Adams were the Albany State students selected from the company’s East Region for the honor.

Coca-Cola UNITED selected 32 students who attend one of the 17 HBCUs in the company’s six-state footprint. Each student will receive a $2,000 stipend at the end of the internship, as well as a lifetime Coca-Cola Brand Ambassadorship.

In Coca-Cola UNITED’s East Region, headquartered in Atlanta, the following 12 students were chosen to be Pay It Forward interns:

♦ Washington and Adams at ASU;

♦ Ashira Provost and Eric Reed, Clark-Atlanta University;

♦ Rasheed Muhammad and Jeremiah Washington, Fort Valley State University;

♦ Zion Melson, Morehouse College;

♦ Jarai Boykins, Morris Brown College;

♦ Aniyah Barker and Dauntry Peeks, Savannah State University;

♦ Anjali Gamble and Camryn Bailey, Spelman College.

From July 24-28, students will gain experience in a wide range of roles at Coca-Cola UNITED, including sales, production, marketing, pricing, event planning, packaging, philanthropy, and community relations. Among the main goals of Pay It Forward is to teach the students, to put it simply, how to go to work. The internship seeks to expose students to day-to-day business operations, the importance of networking, and other important skills that will prepare them for the job market.

In 2015, Coca-Cola UNITED teams in Atlanta and Montgomery, Ala., established Pay It Forward to provide students opportunities to succeed. Since that time, more than 100 students have participated in the program.

“We look forward to interacting and learning from this remarkable group of young adults,” Coca-Cola UNITED President and CEO Mike Suco said in a news release. “Our hope is to encourage these students, help them advance their goals, and inspire career aspirations.”

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