Student Wins $123,000 Scholarship from Dr Pepper

Rodick, above, was a fan of Dr Pepper growing up. After competing in a scholarship contest, the company is now contributing to her education. (Photo by Lindsey Denny)

Unbeknownst to Carley Rodick, her Facebook, cell phone and e-mail inboxes began filling up just moments after being handed a check for $123,000. While many offered enthusiastic congratulations, some messages were hate mail sent by complete strangers.

“I guess they felt as though I had just been lucky in winning or that the prize should have been divided between more people,” said Rodick.

As one of six children in her family, the burden of paying for college had fallen upon Rodick. With the university’s financial aid cut and her denial from a federal work-study program, the scholarship couldn’t have come at a better time.

Dr Pepper had always been a staple in the refrigerator of the sophomore nursing major’s home in Fredericksburg, Va. That is why when the company offered an instant-win game requiring entering codes online that were printed on the inside of lids, Rodick’s mother zealously saved bottle caps and encouraged her daughter to enter.

“I never win anything,” said the nursing major. “That’s why I wasn’t initially motivated to do it.” But what happened next would more than make up for Rodick’s previous unlucky streak.

When none of the codes turned out to be instant winners, Rodick decided to apply for a scholarship that coincided with the promotional contest. A week passed, and Rodick said she forgot about the scholarship until she began receiving frequent calls from an unknown number.

“I ignored the calls, thinking it was a scam,” said Rodick. When she finally answered, it was Dr Pepper, calling to inform her that she had won a trip to the Big 12 college football championship game where she would compete in a halftime contest for the scholarship.

Rodick, along with her boyfriend Blake Merrill, flew to Arlington, Texas to attend the Texas-Nebraska football game on Dec. 5, 2009. During halftime, Rodick competed against another girl in the Dr Pepper “Throw for Scholarship Dough” contest. From the five-yard line, she was able to throw three footballs into a large Dr Pepper can on the goal line. This was enough to beat her opponent and walk away with a check for $123,000.

“Winning was just such a huge relief for both me and my parents,” said Rodick.