Creating Impact: Community Service in College Admissions and Beyond
Our recent webinar presented in partnership with the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation highlighted how community service isn’t just about satisfying a set number of hours for your graduation requirements. Featuring inspiring insights from Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation President Jane Hale Paulsen and College Solutions Senior Counselor Anna Brown, and moderated by College Solutions CEO Margaret Bolton Baudinet, this live webinar reminded participants of the many ways civic engagement can enrich the lives of young people and equip them with skills for adulthood.
In case you missed it, here are a few highlights from this important discussion:
Building Empathy
Some soft skills can only be learned by doing. Margaret Bolton Baudinet shares how community service helps teens develop empathy and how empathy shines through on their college applications.
Getting Started
The first step to finding meaningful community service activities is exposure. In this clip, Margaret Bolton Baudinet highlights ways for parents to help their children find opportunities that interest them.
Finding Need
In this clip, Anna Brown explains how finding a need and matching it with a student’s skills and interests can help get their involvement in community service off the ground.
Fostering a Sustained Commitment
Anna Brown shares how students can maximize their growth and impact through a sustained commitment to their cause of choice.
Highlighting Community Service on College Applications
A former admissions representative herself, Anna Brown knows what stands out to application readers. Here, she gives some tips on how to best highlight a commitment to community service on a college application.
Why it Matters
Jane Hale Paulsen dives deeper into what the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation looks for in its applicants, and why it’s important beyond scholarship and college applications.
Coca-Cola Scholars: Creating a Lifelong Community
Students who are selected as Coca-Cola Scholars aren’t just chosen for a year, or even for their college careers—they join a lifelong community that encourages “leading from the inside out.” Learn more from Jane Hale Paulsen:
As the 37th class of Coca-Cola Scholars prepares to meet in Atlanta later this week, we congratulate them and applaud the work that the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation does to inspire young leaders and make a difference in their communities and the world.
Meet the Panelists
Margaret BOlton Baudinet
Owner, CEO, and Scholarship Specialist, College Solutions
Margaret graduated from the University of Virginia with the highest distinction with a political and literary thought degree, finishing her academic tenure with research at Oxford University. She holds five years of admission experience from the University of Virginia, specializing in legacy admissions. Margaret has served on the selection committee for the Coca-Cola Scholarship Program and the University of Virginia’s Jefferson Scholarship. At College Solutions, Margaret has been a writing coach, counselor, application editor, managing director, and CEO. She is the proud mother of eight-year-old quintuplets and a busy toddler.
Jane Hale Paulsen
President, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
Jane joined the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation in 2001 and is responsible for advancing the Foundation’s efforts to develop an influential community of socially conscious and service-minded leaders who positively shape the world. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation, the Jeanette Rankin Foundation, and GA CASA, and on the Board of Trustees for her alma mater, Centre College. She is the past Chair for the Emerge Scholarships in Georgia and the past Treasurer for the National Scholarship Providers’ Association.
Anna Brown
Transfer Admissions Specialist and Senior Counselor, College Solutions
Anna has over a decade of experience working in higher education in a variety of roles, including admissions, student affairs, and fundraising. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, she graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in English and an M.Ed. in Higher Education. She worked as an admissions reader for UVA for three years, reading in-state, out-of-state, and transfer applications. Anna feels strongly about helping students find the right fit in the college admissions process, as she transferred colleges after her freshman year. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she enjoys spending time with her young son, diving into a good book, and attending as many concerts as possible.
About the Webinar Sponsors
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation exists to bring better to the world through investment in exceptional high school students who are dedicated to leadership, service, and action that positively affects others. With its recently announced 37th class of Coca-Cola Scholars, the Foundation has provided more than $87 million in scholarships to over 7,050 program alumni who together have become a powerful force for positive change.
College Solutions
Since 2003, College Solutions has been a trusted partner for families facing the challenges and complexities of college admissions. Guided by an unwavering commitment to ethical standards, College Solutions provides personalized coaching, expert guidance, and a deep understanding of the admissions process. Through its holistic approach, College Solutions has helped thousands of students embrace their best selves, achieve their academic dreams, and build meaningful futures.
