IRVING, Texas -  The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation has released the list of the 2021 Go Teach Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway recipients and grand prize winners. Over $425,000 in tuition was awarded with over 100 student-athletes each receiving a $2,500 tuition grant. Ten grand-prize winners (one per conference) were each awarded $10,000 in additional tuition assistance, including UAB's Imani Hanson (track & field). This is the second cohort of students that are part of the CFP Foundation and Dr Pepper’s collective effort to award more than $1.5 million in tuition over a six-year span to support student-athletes looking to become teachers, and the first year to include all 10 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences.

Conference partners and networks shared in the celebration with surprises and features on conference networks and digital platforms. Dr Pepper surprised many of the $2,500 tuition award winners with the news on a virtual group call with student-athletes from all 10 participating conferences. The grand prize winners were notified of their awards in a variety of ways, including coaches sharing the news, being surprised during an on-air interview and even being told live in the middle of an on-field presentation. Highlights of the features, presentations and surprises can be viewed in a video here.

“It has been a thrill to meet these student-athletes who will soon become teachers and be able to support them with tuition assistance,” said CFP Foundation Executive Director Britton Banowsky. “We want to support as many student-athletes as possible to pursue careers in education. Dr Pepper’s generosity helps make this possible, giving us the opportunity to better recruit well-qualified and diverse teacher candidates for classrooms nationwide.”

The CFP Foundation is dedicated to growing its Go Teach initiative to place qualified teachers in classrooms and keep them in classrooms across the nation. Launched in 2019 following a pilot program at the University of Texas at Austin, the Go Teach initiative quickly expanded to a dozen schools by the end of 2019. Today, more than 15 schools are participating in the Go Teach program and identifying creative ways to help student-athletes move into the teaching profession.

“Supporting education remains a top priority for Dr Pepper,” said Derek Dabrowski, Vice President of Brand Marketing for Dr Pepper. “We are thrilled to once again partner with the College Football Playoff Foundation, providing tuition support to even more student-athletes pursuing a career in education.”

Conference USA Grand Prize Winner of $10,000 tuition grants (one was given to a student-athlete for each FBS conference):
Imani Hanson, UAB, C-USA, Track & Field

Recipients of $2,500 in tuition awards:
Conference USA
Name, Institution, Sport
Talya Cohen, Old Dominion, Women's Rowing
Leigh Faires McGee, North Texas, Women's Swimming & Diving
Cori Henderson, UNC-Charlotte, Softball
Imani Hanson, UAB, Track & Field
William Harrell, Louisiana Tech, Men's Cross Country
Rielly Mcnamara, FIU, Swimming
Kebreyun Page, Rice, Football
Hallie Shelton, Western Kentucky, Women's Volleyball
Alyssa Sianez, UTEP, Volleyball
Jonathan Tapia, UTSA, Baseball
Courtney Whitson, Middle Tennessee State, Basketball
Savannah Wheeler, Marshall, Women's Basketball

The CFP Foundation is the largest sports entity supporting K-12 educators in America. For more information about the CFP Foundation, visit cfp-foundation.org.

About the College Football Playoff Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers
The CFP Foundation is the community-engagement arm of the College Football Playoff, supporting education across the country. The CFP Foundation’s primary cause platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, is dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment, and professional development. The CFP Foundation utilizes multiple partnerships to execute its initiatives and support positive educational outcomes. To learn more, visit cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.

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, Zero Sugar, Caffeine Free, Cream Soda 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.