UPDATE: Baylor Senior Wins Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway

December 5, 2019

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Baylor Senior Named Finalist in Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway, Will Compete for $100K

UPDATE: Andrea Gathercole was one of five students who took home $100,000 in tuition grand prizes as part of the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway after successfully throwing the most footballs into an oversized Dr Pepper can in 30 seconds. Andrea, a senior biochemistry major at Baylor, competed and won during halftime at the SEC Championship game Dec. 7 in Atlanta. Read more here.

WACO, Texas (Dec. 5, 2019) – Baylor University senior biochemistry major Andrea Gathercole, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been named a finalist for the 11th annual Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway, which takes place this weekend during the College Football Conference Championship games.

As one of 20 finalists from across the country, Gathercole will compete for the top prize of $100,000 in tuition. Finalists compete during their assigned championship game by taking the field and throwing footballs into an oversized Dr Pepper can. The finalist who makes the most into the can wins the top prize. The runner-up will walk away with $25,000.

Gathercole is scheduled to compete during the SEC Championship game between Georgia and LSU, which begins at 3 p.m. CST. The finalists, ranging from 18-24 years old, were selected based on video submissions to Dr Pepper explaining how the tuition money will help them make an impact in the world.

“Dr Pepper, with your help, I will be able to focus academically on final semesters at Baylor, volunteer as a first responder in my community and continue my research on HIV prevention,” Gathercole said in the video she submitted for the contest.

Having served as a life guard and as an emergency medical technician, Gathercole said she has worked and volunteered more than 500 hours in local hospitals in Waco and Baton Rouge.

“I have experienced first-hand the growing need for low-income families to receive adequate medical care,” she said in the video.

To date, the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway has provided college students with more than $10 million in tuition.

Last year, Bryce McWhirter of Plains, Texas, now a senior computer science major at Baylor, won the $100,000 tuition scholarship after competing at the Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, N.C. McWhirter transferred to Baylor in January after completing his studies at South Plains College.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT DR PEPPER

Dr Pepper, a brand of Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), is the oldest major soft drink in the United States. Since 1885, the 23 flavors of Dr Pepper have earned legions of fans that enjoy its unique, refreshing taste. The brand is available in Regular, Diet, Caffeine Free and Cherry varieties. For more information, visit DrPepper.com or keurigdrpepper.com. For the brand's latest news and updates, follow Dr Pepper at Facebook.com/DrPepper or Twitter.com/DrPepper.