Dr Pepper Marks 18 Years of Impact with the Announcement of the 2025 Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway Winners

Rhea-AI Summary

Keurig Dr Pepper (NASDAQ: KDP) announced the winners of the 18th annual Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway on December 6, 2025, awarding three college students $100,000 each in tuition funds during the SEC, Big Ten and ACC conference championship games.

Six finalists competed in a 30-second football-throw challenge. The program has committed more than $20 million to students over 30 years. Winners: ACC – David Vilches; Big Ten – Francis Pham; SEC – Jesse Kompany. Runners-up were also named for each conference.

Key Figures

Tuition awards 3 students x $100,000 2025 Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway grand prizes

Event duration 30 seconds Time each finalist had to throw footballs

Program history 18th annual Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway edition in 2025

Education support More than $20 million Total tuition support committed over 30 years

Program duration 30 years Length of Dr Pepper’s efforts supporting students’ education

Market Reality Check

$28.69 Last Close

Volume Volume 15,210,183 is roughly in line with the 20-day average of 15,724,744 (relative volume 0.97x). normal

Technical Shares at $28.69 are below the $31.42 200-day MA and 20.57% under the $36.12 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

Key beverage peers showed mixed, modest moves, from -1.5% (CELH) to +1.27% (COKE), suggesting today’s modest 0.68% gain in KDP is more stock-specific than part of a broad sector swing.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 01	Co-branded product launch	Positive	+1.0%	New Pop-Tarts flavored K-Cup launch tied to 2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Nov 25	CFO appointment	Positive	-1.1%	New CFO with 40+ years’ experience and finance leadership changes.
Nov 24	New coffee line	Positive	-1.4%	Debut of Keurig Coffee Collective, first in-house branded coffee line.
Nov 17	Marketing promotion	Positive	-0.6%	Casey’s Fansville <b>$100,000</b> tuition giveaway and Dr Pepper meal deal promo.
Oct 27	Strategic transactions	Positive	+7.6%	Announced JDE Peet’s deal and separation plan with <b>$7B</b> financing package.

Pattern Detected

Recent positive brand, product, and strategic announcements have produced mixed stock reactions, with several marketing-focused updates followed by small declines and larger gains reserved for major strategic/financing news.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, Keurig Dr Pepper has combined brand marketing with significant strategic moves. Promotions like the Fansville $100,000 tuition giveaway and co-branded Pop-Tarts® K-Cup products built consumer engagement, while the November launch of Keurig Coffee Collective expanded its in-house coffee portfolio. In parallel, KDP outlined a transformational JDE Peet’s acquisition and separation into two public companies, backed by a $7 billion financing package. Today’s Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway update fits the pattern of brand-building, college-football-linked promotions.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights Dr Pepper’s long-running Tuition Giveaway, awarding three students $100,000 each and extending over 30 years of education support totaling more than $20 million. For KDP, it reinforces brand equity and deep ties to college football, complementing other recent marketing and product launches. Investors may watch how such visibility supports beverage demand alongside the company’s larger strategic initiatives and financing for its planned separation and JDE Peet’s acquisition.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Three College Students Each Awarded $100,000 in Tuition Funds

FRISCO, Texas, Dec. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr Pepper^®, part of the Keurig Dr Pepper (NASDAQ: KDP) portfolio of brands, has announced the winners of the 18th annual Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway, awarding three students each $100,000 in tuition funds during the three College Football Conference Championship games (SEC, Big Ten, ACC) on Saturday, December 6th. Six finalists participated in the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway where they competed against a peer to see who could throw the most footballs into an oversized Dr Pepper can in 30 seconds.

Dr Pepper continues the brand's 30-year-long efforts to support students' educational goals, with more than $20 million committed throughout the past three decades to helping students pursue their academic dreams.

Reflecting upon the weekend's events, Derek Dabrowski, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing at Keurig Dr Pepper said, "No one knows college football like Dr Pepper, and that extends beyond the game day rituals and rivalries to supporting students both on and off the field. These exceptional students have illustrated leadership and a commitment to being a positive force in their communities, while working to achieve their dreams. Congratulations to this year's winners and participants."

Past Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway winners have gone on to chase their dreams as seen with Nikki Boon (2010) and Andrew Jimenez (2023). Boon's win assisted her with her transfer to Belmont University where she studied Music Business and is now the manager of an award-winning international country superstar and an independent alt/pop band. Jimenez is now completing his education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with plans to join a top marketing consulting firm as an intern later this year.

Grand prize winners and runners-up include:

ACC

• Winner: David Vilches
• Runner-up: Alice Perez

Big Ten

• Winner: Francis Pham
• Runner-up: Alexandra Walton

SEC

• Winner: Jesse Kompany
• Runner-up: Creed King

"The Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway will help support me in my dream of becoming a dentist as I complete my undergraduate degree and attend dental school," said Francis Pham, a student at the University of Texas at San Antonio. "I'm driven by the opportunity to serve my Texas community, and this support brings me one step closer to giving back through compassionate dental care."

"The funds from the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway will help me pursue my goal of becoming a real estate and environmental lawyer," said David Vilches, an undergraduate at the University of California, Los Angeles. "This tuition money will help me become the first member of my family with a law degree, where I'll apply the degree to give back to my community through housing, land, and environmental advocacy. I'm thankful to Dr Pepper for this opportunity."

Visit www.drpepper.com/tuition/ to learn more and join the conversation by following @DrPepper on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.

About Dr Pepper^®
Dr Pepper^®, a brand of Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc. (KDP), is the oldest major soft drink in the United States. Since 1885, the twenty-three flavors of Dr Pepper^® have earned legions of fans that enjoy its unique, refreshing taste. The brand is available in Regular, Diet, Caffeine Free, Cherry, Zero Sugar, Cream Soda, and Strawberries & Cream 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, Instagram.com/DrPepper or TikTok.com/DrPepper.

About Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc.
Keurig Dr Pepper (Nasdaq: KDP) is a leading beverage company in North America, with a portfolio of more than 125 owned, licensed and partner brands and powerful distribution capabilities to provide a beverage for every need, anytime, anywhere. With annual revenue of approximately $15 billion, we hold leadership positions in beverage categories including soft drinks, coffee, tea, water, juice, and mixers, and have the #1 single serve coffee brewing system in the U.S. and Canada. Our innovative partnership model builds emerging growth platforms in categories such as premium coffee, energy, sports hydration, and ready-to-drink coffee. Our brands include Keurig^®, Dr Pepper^®, Canada Dry^®, Mott's^®, A&W^®, Snapple^®, Peñafiel^®, 7UP^®, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters®, Clamato^®, Core Hydration^® and The Original Donut Shop^®. Driven by a purpose to Drink Well. Do Good., our 28,000 employees aim to enhance the experience of every beverage occasion and to make a positive impact for people, communities, and the planet. For more information, visit www.keurigdrpepper.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Media Contact: DRPEPPER@mslgroup.com

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SOURCE Keurig Dr Pepper

FAQ

Who won the 2025 Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway for KDP and how much did each winner receive?

Three winners—David Vilches (ACC), Francis Pham (Big Ten), and Jesse Kompany (SEC)—each received $100,000 in tuition funds.

When and where were the 2025 Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway winners announced by Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP)?

Winners were announced during the three college football conference championship games on December 6, 2025.

How long has the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway program been running and how much has it awarded?

The program is in its 18th year and Dr Pepper has committed more than $20 million to students over the past 30 years.

What was the contest format for the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway finalists in 2025?

Six finalists competed head-to-head to throw the most footballs into an oversized Dr Pepper can within 30 seconds.

Where can investors or students find more information about the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway?

More information and program details are available at www.drpepper.com/tuition/ and via @DrPepper on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.