Elana Dao, a student at New River Community College, has been named a 2021 New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar and will receive a $1,250 scholarship.
This scholarship supports students at associate degree-granting institutions who plan to enter the workforce upon the completion of a degree or certificate on a national scale. The program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) international honor society.
Dao was selected based on the score she earned in the All-USA Academic Team competition where more than 2,000 applications were received. She was the top scoring student from Virginia.
The New Century Workforce Pathway Scholars will be recognized in a video during the
Association of Community College Trustees’ (ACCT) Leadership Congress.
Dao lives in Pearisburg and is working on an associate degree in business management and a career studies certificate in human resource practices. She plans to continue living in Giles County after graduation and hopes to one day open her own salon.
She serves her community by volunteering at a local animal shelter and helping with Operation Christmas Child by Samaritan’s Purse. Dao is also an NRCC Access to Community College Education (ACCE) student. ACCE provides free tuition to NRCC in exchange for local community service.
