Freehold Township College Student Named 2025 Coca-Cola Leader

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ — A Freehold Township college student has been named a 2025 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar, earning a $1,000 scholarship from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society.

Adam Deinhardt, a student at Brookdale Community College, was one of 200 students named as a scholar nationwide and selected from over 600 applicants.

By being named as a scholar, Deinhardt has been recognized for “outstanding academic achievement and leadership potential,” officials said. According to Deinhardt, the honor came as “a complete surprise."

“I was shocked when I found out,” Deinhardt said. “I was at New Student Orientation when President Stout told me the news. It was overwhelming but also motivating. A commemoration of everything I’ve accomplished so far and a benchmark to keep striving for more.”

Launched in 2001, the Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship supports new PTK members in completing their associate degree, while encouraging participation in leadership and service.

In his scholarship application, Deindhardt highlighted his list of leadership roles and extracurriculars, including:

• President of PTK’s Alpha Pi Theta chapter at Brookdale
• Regional President for PTK’s Middle States Region
• President of Students for Global Citizenship, leading the once-dormant club to become Brookdale’s Best Club of the Year at the 2024 Gold Star Awards
• Treasurer and incoming president of the Computer Science Club
• Member of the Honors Program Student Life Board, serving as the student representative on Brookdale’s Academic Standards Committee
• Tech Committee member for Circle K International’s NJ District, contributing to UI design and digital communications

“I try to get involved as much as possible and take charge of the opportunities that Brookdale offers,” Deinhardt said. “That’s what makes this place so special. The college empowers students to want more for themselves and for others.”

Alongside Adam Deinhardt, his sister, Lauren Deinhardt, is also a Brookdale graduate and was previously recognized as a Coca-Cola Gold Scholar.

“Seeing her success inspired me,” Deinhardt said. “And now receiving this same honor motivates me to keep going further.”

With this scholarship, Deinhardt said he plans to use the $1,000 award toward tuition, books, and academic resources, as the scholarship allows him to “stay active in campus life while excelling in the classroom.”

Whether he ends up in academia, industry, or even local public service, Deinhardt said he’s committed to making a difference.

“I don’t think it’s a position or a title that makes a leader,” Deinhardt said. “It’s the actions you take every day. Everything I’ve learned at Brookdale; I’ll carry with me to create meaningful change in whatever community I serve.”

While he first came to Brookdale, Deinhardt was on track to graduate early with a computer science degree and had various dual enrollment and AP credits from high school with him.

Though he was on track to pursue computer science, school officials said a summer research experience at Texas State University sparked a deep interest in mathematics for Deinhardt.

Since then, he’s switched majors and expects to graduate in Spring 2026 with an associate degree in mathematics. Looking ahead, he plans to pursue a double major in mathematics and computer science at a four-year university.

Depending on financial aid and program opportunities, Deinhardt also said that he's considering a second associate degree in physics at Brookdale before transferring, with a long-term vision of graduate studies, or even a Ph.D., to become an applied mathematician.

He credited Brookdale professors Angela Saragusa and Kelsey Maki as “instrumental mentors.”

“They’re phenomenal advisors who push their students to want more,” Deinhardt said. “I’ve tried to model my own leadership after that example.”

In reflecting on this scholarship honor, Deinhardt shared a message of encouragement for other Brookdale students:

Earning the Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship has been a defining moment in my academic journey. At Brookdale Community College, I’ve had many opportunities to not only advance my professional skills but also empower my fellow students and create positive change on campus.

My involvement has helped me strengthen my character, my morals, and my work ethic as a student and a professional. My advice to you is not to ask, ‘what if,’ but rather, ‘when.’ Keep trying until you achieve the success you deserve.

Along the way, you will have rewarding experiences that will help you develop the key characteristics that will prepare you for the next chapter in your life. These are the moments that helped me become a Leader of Promise Scholar, and they can help you achieve your goals, too.

To learn more, you can visit the Brookdale Community College website.