A Montgomery County Community College  Mechanical Engineering Science major has been named the recipient of a national scholarship by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.

Joshu’wa Reid, 19, of Lansdale, received a $1,000 Leaders of Promise Scholarship. The Leaders of Promise Scholarship recognizes 200 Phi Theta Kappa members with awards totaling $200,000. Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for two-year colleges.

A panel of independent judges selected this year’s recipients from nearly 1,500 applicants. Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholars are selected based on outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated leadership potential.

Reid is a 2023 graduate of North Penn High School and began studying at MCCC in the fall of 2023.

“I am happy and very grateful for the scholarship,” he said.

Growing up with a single mother, Reid said going away to college felt like a luxury he wasn’t sure he could afford. With this scholarship, he’s beginning to feel more secure financially.

“This allowed me a really good buffer,” he said. “I’m able to save money, build character and help my mom. It’s been great.”

When Reid enrolled at MCCC, he immediately sought ways to become a leader on campus. He was invited to join PTK in the spring of 2024 and is looking to become more involved with the organization during the fall semester. He’s also a member of the Honors Club, where he’s spent several hours volunteering his time at Rose Bridge Farm and Sanctuary, in Dresher. Additionally, he’s a student ambassador, which he said has helped him to learn more about the College and break out of his shell socially. This semester he also begins working as Student Government Association treasurer.

Inside the classroom, Reid said several faculty members helped him be successful. Chengyang Wang, Engineering Science Associate Professor, and Gayathri Moorthy, Engineering Assistant Professor, have both worked closely with him.

“From hearing my interests and giving me ideas to grow as a person,” he said, “they do more than they have to. It gives me more confidence as a student.”

He also mentioned Rebecca Hays, Ph.D., Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs – STEM, and Douglas Vardakas, Physics Instructor, as two other big influences on him academically.

“The people at Montco want you to be better people,” he said. “They want to uplift you.”

Reid is currently participating in an independent study with Moorthy, exploring the properties of nanoparticles for varied applications. It involves detailed theoretical study, performing hands-on experiments at MCCC, and remotely collaborating with Penn State University to use some of their specialized nanotechnology equipment, said Moorthy.

As part of preparation for the study, Reid attended a workshop in the summer on “Semiconductor Processing and Integrated Photonics” at Penn State. He was introduced to the concepts of nanotechnology and many of the tools used in the analysis and characterization of nanomaterials.

The Engineering Department at MCCC has collaborated closely with Penn State’s Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization (CNEU) on a number of initiatives over the years, said Moorthy.

“Most recently, we have been working with Penn State to recreate some of the fundamental nanotechnology experiments without the need for a specialized lab, called a clean room, at a significantly lower cost,” said Moorthy. “This could open doors for a lot of community colleges, and high schools, to introduce their students to the concepts of nanotechnology through hands-on experimentation.”

As part of Reid’s independent study this semester, he will test the implementation of some of these experiments at MCCC. Moorthy said they hope to integrate these experiments into MCCC’s introductory Engineering (and possibly other STEM) courses in the near future.

The “Semiconductor Processing and Integrated Photonics” workshop is a result of another recent collaboration between MCCC and Penn State. As part of this, every summer, four or five MCCC students will be awarded a full scholarship to attend a one-week workshop at Penn State to introduce and educate them in the rapidly expanding fields of semiconductors and integrated photonics, and provide career-related advice in these new, cutting-edge areas, said Moorthy.

“We hope that such collaborations will help our students gain specialized skills in emerging technologies,” said Moorthy, “and give them an upper hand, whether they decide to transfer to a four-year institution or enter the competitive job market.”

Reid said his experiences during the summer workshop and during his independent study have offered him opportunities to work on research papers and presentations, and he hopes to continue to do similar work once he transfers to a four-year institution next spring following his graduation to continue his education.

“I want to thank Montco for helping me open doors to possibilities,” he said, “and allowing me to explore my interests.”

With the Coca-Cola scholarship under his belt, Reid said he’s focused on continuing to be a leader on campus.

“I hope to continue to make it a better place,” he said. “More enjoyable and accessible. That’s my goal for Montco for my last year."