Kelly Coca ’21 is thriving at Lehigh.

A mechanical engineering major, Kelly is no stranger to hard work, late nights, and overcoming challenges. Kelly credits being a scholarship recipient as a driving force behind her work ethic:

“It is not only a method to help my family and myself in a financial matter, but it is mainly a confidence booster and a support system to continue to thrive and work hard academically at Lehigh. For a college student, it can sometimes be frightening and can lower a person’s level of belief in themselves when things become overwhelming and hectic. My scholarship keeps me motivated to stay up late another hour studying or working on practice problems on a Saturday night. I know that I have people who believe in me, and they know that I truly belong at Lehigh and can handle the work and can prosper out of the institution along with the help of my donor. This gives me the realization that I am seen as a person that people can trust and able to manage whatever life throws at her.”

Scholarships and financial aid help Kelly dedicate her time and brainpower to extracurriculars like Baja SAE. A chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers, the completely student-run Baja SAE team spends the year designing and manufacturing a single-seat off road vehicle. They cap off the year by racing their car against teams from universities around the world. 

As the university moves full speed ahead with GO: The Campaign for Lehigh, helping students like Kelly turn their dreams into actions is a top priority. Find out more about how scholarships and financial aid help Lehigh students GO at gocampaign.lehigh.edu.