Coca-Cola UNITED Announces 2024 Pay It Forward Internship Class

31 HBCU students will receive a $2,000 stipend, Coca-Cola Brand Ambassadorship-

BATON ROUGE, La. – (July 2024) – Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. (UNITED) has selected the 2024 class of its Pay It Forward internship program, a week-long experience that provides students attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) an opportunity to celebrate their achievements and build on their success.

Coca-Cola UNITED selected 31 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 West Region, the following 10 students were chosen to be Pay It Forward interns:

Porsha Brown and Solomon Bryant, Alcorn State University
Asia Collins and Jamey Sanders, Dillard University
Darius Mullen and Kenadi Charles, Xavier University of Louisiana
Curtis Williams and Kinnady Barlow, Southern University
Olivia Dyer and Eniola Farinde, Grambling State University
From July 15-19, students will gain experience in a wide range of roles at Coca-Cola UNITED, including sales, production, marketing, human resources, and more. 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.

“We are thrilled to welcome this outstanding group of students to our Pay It Forward program,” said Mike Suco, President and CEO of Coca-Cola UNITED. “This internship is more than just a learning opportunity; it’s a platform for these future leaders to network, grow, and envision their career paths.”

In addition to hearing from CEO Mike Suco, the students will also have a special session on “Why Not Win” with Larry Thornton.

In 2015, Coca-Cola UNITED teams in Birmingham and Montgomery established Pay It Forward to provide students with 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,” said Mike Suco, Coca-Cola UNITED President and CEO. “Our hope is to encourage these students, help them advance their goals, and inspire career aspirations.”