Nader Pahlevan, a student at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Jefferson Davis Campus, has been named a 2018 GEICO Pathway to Completion Associate Degree Scholar.  He was one of only two students in the nation selected for the scholarship from the nearly 1,600 students who applied.

As a 2018 GEICO Pathway to Completion Associate Degree Scholar, Pahlevan received a $1,000 scholarship for the fall 2018 academic term.  His selection was based on his score for the Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship competition and is only offered to PTK members who have held a significant leadership position in the organization.

Pahlevan said he appreciates all of the scholarship opportunities Phi Theta Kappa offers. “When I first read the email saying I had received the scholarship, I had to contain the excitement,” he said. “I was so full of glee that I ran across the house at the speed of light to tell my mom the good news. Scholarships like these are very important because not only does it help me fund my higher education, but it also shows me that the hard work and perseverance I put in truly pays off.”

From Biloxi, Pahlevan is a sophomore majoring in computer science and pre-medicine.  He plans on attending medical school to become a pediatrician.  Currently, he is president of Phi Theta Kappa for the Mississippi/Louisiana Region, vice president of Leadership in the campus PTK chapter and is a member of the campus Reflection Team.

Pahlevan said he is enjoying his time at MGCCC and recognizes that Phi Theta Kappa scholarships wouldn’t be available to him at a university or four-year institution. “My time at MGCCC has been an experience I could not have gotten anywhere else.  This scholarship is a perfect example of that,” he said. “While here, I have had so many opportunities that have given me the chance to grow as a student and a person. My advice for students new to Gulf Coast and those in high school looking into higher education is to not think of MGCCC as just a ‘community college’ because it is much more than that. To enjoy and receive all the benefits MGCCC has to offer, I recommend being  as active and involved as possible. With that in mind, MGCCC is a place where opportunities happen, a place where connections are made and a place where you can reach for your full potential.”