Prestigious Cooke Scholarship Announces 2022 Undergraduate Transfer Semifinalists
Lansdowne, VA – The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announced today the semifinalists for its highly competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Through this award, the Foundation supports high-achieving community college students with financial need seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at selective four-year institutions.
Since its inception, the Cooke Foundation has selected Transfer Scholars from over 337 community colleges and has awarded more than $54 million in transfer scholarships. While national college enrollments have been on the decline in the midst of the pandemic, recent National Student Clearinghouse data finds that transfers are on the rise among community college students who have stayed enrolled in the first year of the pandemic. For the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, this was a highly competitive year.
This year’s 440 semifinalists were chosen from a pool of more than 1,200 applicants attending 180 community colleges in 35 states.
“The past year has been particularly difficult as students continued to navigate the complexities of hybrid learning, the demands of family care, and disrupted work schedules,” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “We are so proud of these semifinalists for their perseverance and achievements at their community colleges.”
The Undergraduate Scholarship offers unmatched support to community college students seeking to complete their education at top four-year institutions. In addition to financial support, selected Cooke Transfer Scholars will receive comprehensive educational advising from the Foundation to guide them through the process of transitioning to a four-year school and preparing for their careers. Undergraduate Transfer Scholars will additionally receive opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school funding, as well as connection to a thriving network of nearly 3,000 fellow Cooke Scholars and Alumni.
The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship recipients will be announced by early May.
Cooke Transfer Scholars are selected based on their exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, service, and leadership. Students must be currently enrolled in community college or recent alumni.
A list of this year’s Cooke Transfer Scholar semifinalists, their community colleges, and their hometowns is below. Learn more about the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship here.
Alabama
Cutter Green – Wallace State Community College at Hanceville
Arizona
Arad Arasteh – Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Helena Austin – Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Jose Avechuco – Cochise College
Kevin Chavez – Cochise College
Kaelyn Edwards – Cochise College
Allyiah Gomez – GateWay Community College
Andrea Maya – Glendale Community College
Abdalla Shamam – Mesa Community College
Yaritza Contreras – Phoenix College
Aaron Gerardo – Phoenix College
Sandra Montero Villamizar – Phoenix College
Cordero Holmes – Rio Salado College
California
Sarai Gonzalez – Allan Hancock College
Esteban Perez – Allan Hancock College
Chloe Duran – Antelope Valley College
Kami Griego – Barstow Community College
Jennifer Quiroz – Berkeley City College
Chloe Millar – Cabrillo College
Samantha Rocha Silva – Cabrillo College
Thamir Kazwini – Cerritos College
Brooklyn Kemp – Cerritos College
Andrik Lozano Bonilla – Cerritos College
Angela Pena – Chabot College
Melita Kyritsi Loper – Chaffey College
Isabella Solorio – College of the Canyons
Jammal Yarbrough – College of the Canyons
Heng Yam – College of the Redwoods
Ernest Lopez – College of the Sequoias
Samuel Mulick – College of the Sequoias
Jennifer Reyes – College of the Sequoias
Megan Sanchez – Contra Costa College
Christina Pham – De Anza College
Dimitri Yanovskyi – De Anza College
Aiman Al Sharai – Diablo Valley College
Alexandra Gallagher – Diablo Valley College
Jennifer Gushwa – Diablo Valley College
Sakura Kappel – Diablo Valley College
Moses Liu – Diablo Valley College
Andrea Madison – Diablo Valley College
Jordan Nouri – Diablo Valley College
Mitchell Peterson – Diablo Valley College
Natania Wong – Diablo Valley College
Brandon Yamamoto – Diablo Valley College
Maple Duong – East Los Angeles College
Catherine Lozano – East Los Angeles College
Mohammad Noman Osmani – East Los Angeles College
Lilianna Adame – El Camino College
Celeste Diaz – El Camino College
Andrea Fernandez Cruz – El Camino College
Brandon Vela – El Camino College
Bryan Vela – El Camino College
Britney Wooding – Evergreen Valley College
Quang Truong – Foothill College
Gina Houston – Fullerton College
Jessica King – Fullerton College
Abri Magdaleno – Fullerton College
Jessica Susanto – Fullerton College
Dat Tran – Fullerton College
Ania Baghoomian – Glendale Community College
Rishi Lakhnori – Glendale Community College
Alina Zolotarova – Glendale Community College
Frida Lopez – Grossmont College
Lupita Rodriguez – Hartnell College
Jane Sanchez Hernandez – Hartnell College
Edin Madrid – Imperial Valley College
Ashley Bell – Irvine Valley College
Brittany Kester – Irvine Valley College
Einstein Mwase Kivebulaya – Laney College
Inioluwa Adeoluwa – Long Beach City College
Ulises Maldonado – Long Beach City College
Melany Bennett – Los Angeles City College
Janel Blessing – Los Angeles City College
Kayla Jajoute – Los Angeles City College
Andy Estrada – Los Angeles Pierce College
Anjelica Hymel – Los Angeles Pierce College
Yesenia Quintero – Los Angeles Pierce College
Jimoh Yusuf – Los Angeles Trade and Technical College
Gabriella Kellerman – Los Medanos College
Neda Saleh – Los Medanos College
Felicia Torrez – Los Medanos College
Inayah Bint Sadiq Abdulmateen – MiraCosta College
Alma Cuevas – MiraCosta College
Negar Farahbakhsh – MiraCosta College
Andreena Lamey – MiraCosta College
John Siebelink – MiraCosta College
Nancy Daoud – Monterey Peninsula College
Nathalie Daoud – Monterey Peninsula College
Sarah Gyurkovitz – Moorpark College
Charles Long – Moreno Valley College
Araceli Nino – Mount San Antonio College
June Shi – Mount San Antonio College
Amanda Udukumbura – Mount San Antonio College
Enrique Baranda – Mount San Jacinto College
Trinh Phan – Orange Coast College
Nathalie Guzman – Pasadena City College
Natalia Hernandez Martinez – Pasadena City College
Janet Teng – Pasadena City College
Nakul Srikanth – Sacramento City College
Darya Einollahi – Saddleback College
Andrew George – Saddleback College
Olga Golding – Saddleback College
Raghad Al Bawab – San Diego City College
Kiera Feighan-Patrizi – San Diego City College
Jeannette Mayo Gallegos – San Diego City College
Kassandra Munoz – San Diego City College
Katayoon Marzban – San Diego Mesa College
Edward Borek – San Diego Miramar College
Khanh Nguyen – Santa Ana College
Cameron Black – Santa Barbara City College
Jacqueline Castellanos – Santa Monica College
Meagan Harmon – Santa Monica College
Mika King – Santa Monica College
Khine Thazin Myint – Santa Monica College
Sephora Weber – Santa Monica College
Amanda Sayaseng – Skyline College
Nayeli Martinez – Southwestern College
Karina Sanchez – Southwestern College
Talia Meeks – Victor Valley College
David Tanoko – West Los Angeles College
Colorado
Mariam Osman – Community College of Denver
Rebekah Jacoby – Front Range Community College
Kevin Ortiz – Front Range Community College
Caleb Sanderson – Front Range Community College
Liv Merritt – Northeast Iowa Community College
Puja Paudel – Pikes Peak Community College
Connecticut
Aidan Reynolds – Tunxis Community College
Delaware
Martin Wood – Delaware Technical Community College: Jack F. Owens Campus
Florida
Maria Arce Mendoza – Broward College
Yakira Barba Gonzalez – Broward College
Destine Harrison-Williams – Broward College
Joshuva Johnson – Broward College
Chioma Onukogu – Broward College
Amy-Nicole Toro – Broward College
Sarah Dorr – Gulf Coast State College
Dalia McCloud – Hillsborough Community College
Chad Mendez – Hillsborough Community College
Adriel Poo-Armas – Hillsborough Community College
Hope Steen – Hillsborough Community College
Brandon Palomino-alonso – Iowa Western Community College
Alexa Bencomo – Miami Dade College
Angie Camarena – Miami Dade College
Ana Camba – Miami Dade College
Frank Cejas Rodriguez – Miami Dade College
Anyela Celedon – Miami Dade College
Laura Conde – Miami Dade College
Isabella Cunningham – Miami Dade College
Stefani Davila – Miami Dade College
Meredith Delatorre – Miami Dade College
Sofia Di Nino Gomez – Miami Dade College
Alina Diaz Fernandez – Miami Dade College
Amanda Diaz Lopez – Miami Dade College
Juan Duarte – Miami Dade College
Dana Elshami – Miami Dade College
Leo Escandell – Miami Dade College
Vivyanna Fernandez – Miami Dade College
Genesis Funkhouser – Miami Dade College
Gabriela Garcia – Miami Dade College
Roman Gil – Miami Dade College
Fabiana Gonzalez – Miami Dade College
Samantha Gonzalez – Miami Dade College
Xiu Hau – Miami Dade College
Patricia Liyen – Miami Dade College
Isabella Martinez Alvarez – Miami Dade College
Angie Matute – Miami Dade College
Angelica McCalla – Miami Dade College
Isabela Morales – Miami Dade College
Miriam Ordonez – Miami Dade College
Susy Piedrahita – Miami Dade College
Micol Proserpio – Miami Dade College
Valeria Rivas – Miami Dade College
Maria Rivera – Miami Dade College
Carlos Rodriguez – Miami Dade College
Fiona Sheets – Miami Dade College
Damariz Sosa Ortega – Miami Dade College
Boopy Sylvestre – Miami Dade College
Paola Troconis – Miami Dade College
Daphnie Velasquez Garcia – Miami Dade College
Rossana Villaverde – Miami Dade College
Akeema Williams – Miami Dade College
Rodis Aguilar – Palm Beach State College
Israel Charles – Palm Beach State College
Alain Padron – Palm Beach State College
Gabriel Perez – Palm Beach State College
Sabrina Remilien – Palm Beach State College
Tarruck Wheeler – Palm Beach State College
Poshuer Wilson – Palm Beach State College
Yesmene Chikha – Seminole State College of Florida
Amber Chipman – Seminole State College of Florida
Jaimie Adams – St. Petersburg College
Mikeal Rodriguez-Clark – St. Petersburg College
Abby Baird – Valencia College
Leah Basaria – Valencia College
Jennie Clerzeau – Valencia College
Lori Hollands – Valencia College
Kevin Rivera-Lopez – Valencia College
Alexis Rosa – Valencia College
Miranda Rublaitus – Valencia College
Georgia
Chandra Jebodh – Athens Technical College
Ariana Castro – Georgia Perimeter College
Paula Gil – Georgia Perimeter College
Ebony Milner – Georgia Perimeter College
Shirley Ortega – Georgia Perimeter College
Papa Ebo Quainoo – Georgia Perimeter College
Hawaii
Tatum Okamoto – University of Hawaii: Hawaii Community College
Iowa
Sunya Hardi – Des Moines Area Community College
Annalissa Haubrich – Marshalltown Community College
Illinois
Shaz Akthar – City Colleges of Chicago: Harold Washington College
Nancy Barrera – City Colleges of Chicago: Harold Washington College
Sherry Chen – City Colleges of Chicago: Harold Washington College
Justyce Harris – City Colleges of Chicago: Harold Washington College
Zach Hebert – City Colleges of Chicago: Harold Washington College
Marnee Ostoa – City Colleges of Chicago: Harold Washington College
Mary Randall – City Colleges of Chicago: Harold Washington College
Deynna Rey Tovar – City Colleges of Chicago: Harry S. Truman College
Sam Roberts – City Colleges of Chicago: Harold Washington College
Ashanti Thurman – City Colleges of Chicago: Harold Washington College
Najwa Aleem – City Colleges of Chicago: Harry S. Truman College
Mary Colombo – City Colleges of Chicago: Harry S. Truman College
Ephi Getachew – City Colleges of Chicago: Harry S. Truman College
Michael Sansone – City Colleges of Chicago: Harry S. Truman College
Emon Fowler – City Colleges of Chicago: Kennedy-King College
Michael Nwaigbo – City Colleges of Chicago: Kennedy-King College
Tatum Lauder Mulvany – City Colleges of Chicago: Malcolm X College
Yamileth Moreno – City Colleges of Chicago: Malcolm X College
Ayicia Murray – City Colleges of Chicago: Malcolm X College
Kayla Savage – City Colleges of Chicago: Malcolm X College
Cielo Torres – City Colleges of Chicago: Malcolm X College
Trevin Cox – City Colleges of Chicago: Wilbur Wright College
Yaryna Dyakiv – City Colleges of Chicago: Wilbur Wright College
Feisal Hassan – City Colleges of Chicago: Wilbur Wright College
kweku Assou joel Sika – City Colleges of Chicago: Wilbur Wright College
Aaron Zabrinas – City Colleges of Chicago: Wilbur Wright College
Julianne Di Benedetto – College of DuPage
Akash Kumar – College of Lake County
Cade Cummins – Danville Area Community College
Jonathan Lasso – Harper College
Carol Pulli – Harper College
Mayha Syed – Oakton Community College
Rebbie Davis – Prairie State College
Elizabeth Demitro – Triton College
Indiana
Abiodun Soneye – Illinois Eastern Community Colleges: Lincoln Trail College
Kansas
Carolina Pruss de Abreu – Cowley County Community College
Allison Bomgardner – Hutchinson Community College
Sabrina Nicacio Gomes – Hutchinson Community College
Massachusetts
Corinne Lepage – Bristol Community College
Joel Gutierrez Estupinan – Bunker Hill Community College
Alexandria Zine – Cape Cod Community College
Miren Neyra Alcantara – Holyoke Community College
Savana Paciulli – Holyoke Community College
Shauna Connelly – Quinsigamond Community College
Maryland
Benjamin Redding – Carroll Community College
Olasunkanmi Bada – Community College of Baltimore County
Mikhaela Frondozo – Community College of Baltimore County
Peggy Mothershed – Hagerstown Community College
Kim Nguyen – Howard Community College
Trevor Norton – Howard Community College
James Tang – Howard Community College
Alexzander Baetsen – Montgomery College
Jessica Beitler – Montgomery College
Andrea Campos – Montgomery College
Anna Chacon – Montgomery College
Eve Elias Stowell – Montgomery College
Patrick Ibanez – Montgomery College
Marthe Medalebem Sandjol – Montgomery College
Isabela Paz – Montgomery College
Amanda Pereira Baloneque – Montgomery College
Fatihah Ullah – Montgomery College
Jude Ekeocha – Prince George’s Community College
Anthony Nelson – Prince George’s Community College
Jessica Rangel – Prince George’s Community College
Zarah-Sarah Uwadia – Santa Monica College
Michigan
Mohammad Turaani – Henry Ford Community College
Jessalyn Justice – Mid Michigan Community College
Mellissa Lewis – Oakland Community College
Minnesota
Ninette Gonalez-Chen – Minneapolis Community and Technical College
Hiep Chau – Normandale Community College
Dang Do – Normandale Community College
Han Do – Normandale Community College
Insia Kizilbash – Normandale Community College
Missouri
Edilawit Mehari – Cottey College
Mississippi
Taya Baggett – Itawamba Community College
Chloe Evans – Itawamba Community College
Lucia Barberena – Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Kaitlyn McDonald – Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Chloe Nguyen – Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Luke Simpson – Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Carlin Taylor – Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Darlene Umukundwa – Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Caelan Hogan – Northwest Mississippi Community College
Hanna Lambert – Pearl River Community College
Shui Lin – Pearl River Community College
North Carolina
Vanessa Hughes – Brunswick Community College
Brittney Moore – Carteret Community College
Han Nguyen – Forsyth Technical Community College
Mackenzie Rouse – Lenoir Community College
New Hampshire
Greta Hazelton – River Valley Community College
New Jersey
Madelyn Sacco – Atlantic Cape Community College
Bertila Bruka – Bergen Community College
Destiny Gillespie- Manggrum – Bergen Community College
Evan Greenbaum – Bergen Community College
Eduardo Hernandez – Bergen Community College
Agraw Mindaye – Bergen Community College
Gianna Morra – Bergen Community College
Crystal Yoo – Bergen Community College
Leslie Yuqui – Bergen Community College
Leah Josefowitz – Brookdale Community College
Michael Skarica – Brookdale Community College
Roland Neelidjah Okili Toure Mata – City University of New York: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Thishin Jackson – Essex County College
Karolina Kowal – Essex County College
Comfort Nadjiwa – Essex County College
Daniah Nazhat Al Fatal – Essex County College
Sammiat Olatunde – Essex County College
Angel Beebe – Hudson County Community College
Nathalia Allenza – Middlesex County College
Veronica Bonilla – Middlesex County College
Thomas Emens – Middlesex County College
Jessica Medina – Middlesex County College
Devanshi Patel – Middlesex County College
Delia Casamenti – Passaic County Community College
Ashely Diaz – Passaic County Community College
Oreoluwa Kpade-johnson – Raritan Valley Community College
Jack Hutchison – Rowan College at Gloucester
Mark Farag – Union County College
Sophia Morales – Union County College
Luana Rampelotti – Union County College
George Stephens – Union County College
Nevada
Yvette Machado – College of Southern Nevada
Thao Ly – Surry Community College
Amelia Glowniak – Truckee Meadows Community College
New York
Khaldoun Abou Tay – City University of New York: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Valentina Gomez Acacio – City University of New York: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Rajvinder Kaur – City University of New York: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Yiyang Sun – City University of New York: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Michael Aidoo – City University of New York: Bronx Community College
Elizabeth Asemota – City University of New York: Bronx Community College
Gabriel Morillo – City University of New York: Bronx Community College
Haoua Sanfo – City University of New York: Bronx Community College
Bashir Juwara – City University of New York: Guttman Community College
Folusho Adeoti – City University of New York: Hostos Community College
Jiahua Wu – City University of New York: Kingsborough Community College
Nadezhda Atanasova – City University of New York: LaGuardia Community College
Mohamad Bekhit – City University of New York: LaGuardia Community College
Josephine Elumeze – City University of New York: LaGuardia Community College
Talha Islam – City University of New York: LaGuardia Community College
Salwa Quhshi – City University of New York: LaGuardia Community College
James Stuart – City University of New York: LaGuardia Community College
Jaclyn Liquori – Corning Community College
Mariam Alyassin – Hudson Valley Community College
Bagul Mammedova – Jamestown Community College
Danny Blakeman – City University of New York: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Shauna-kay Thomas – City University of New York: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Karolina Wiesiolek – City University of New York: Borough of Manhattan Community College
Shaindy Weichman – City University of New York: Kingsborough Community College
Camila Rodriguez – City University of New York: Guttman Community College
Carly Glasse – Orange County Community College
Jose Boirond – Palm Beach State College
Elida Blanco-Buitron – Suffolk County Community College
Armando Escobar Castillo – Suffolk County Community College
Keving Pierre – Suffolk County Community College
Paola Beber Sanches – Westchester Community College
Ohio
Gabrielle Bradley – Columbus State Community College
Rei Scott – Columbus State Community College
Janice Robinson – Lakeland Community College
Oklahoma
Jill Pruitt – Eastern Oklahoma State College
Pennsylvania
Tahara Garrison-Brown – Community College of Philadelphia
Nakita Guiteau – Community College of Philadelphia
Christine Meusz – Community College of Philadelphia
Rebekah-Leigh Weaver – Harrisburg Area Community College
Te Filingo – Northampton Community College
Seong Kim – Northampton Community College
Sarah Szulborski – Northampton Community College
South Carolina
Kate Barnwell – Spartanburg Community College
Tennessee
Zachary Andina – Northeast State Community College
Bryan Kirk – Northeast State Community College
Texas
Jessica Gallardo – Austin Community College
Faizan Khan – Austin Community College
Averi Muhr – Austin Community College
Kaba Aicha Diaba Diakite – Brookhaven College
Zainab Siddiqui – Brookhaven College
Muzil Ahmad – Lone Star College System
Shaith Amous – Lone Star College System
Marysa Barela – Lone Star College System
Angelica Bernal Penaloza – Lone Star College System
Lacy Butler – Lone Star College System
Marcelo Carrizales – Lone Star College System
Vincenzo De Vita Sifontes – Lone Star College System
Andrea Juarez Prado – Lone Star College System
Ivey Knebel – Lone Star College System
Manelle Mensah – Lone Star College System
Xitlali Mujica – Lone Star College System
Ana Munguia Ayarzagoitia – Lone Star College System
Jason Pham – Lone Star College System
Nicolas Reyes – Lone Star College System
Kelsey Roberson – Lone Star College System
Fatima Shamim – Lone Star College System
Madison Terry – Lone Star College System
Alma Torres – Lone Star College System
April Aragon – Lone Star Community College
Brandy Merrell – North Lake College
Aaliyah Avellaneda – Northeast Texas Community College
Jessie Parchman – Northeast Texas Community College
Hilda Rodriguez Rodriguez – Northeast Texas Community College
Allen Brown-Zubillaga – San Antonio College
Joseph Alfaro – Tarrant County College
Razan Omer – Tarrant County College
Jordan Booth – Tyler Junior College
Lexy Rhein – Trinity Valley Community College
Brooke Thomas – Wharton County Junior College
Utah
Ammon Love – Salt Lake Community College
Virginia
Rachel Royster – Danville Community College
Maryam Virk – Germanna Community College
Keirsten Kekic – Lord Fairfax Community College
Jenna Aylward – Northern Virginia Community College
Menwa Besheer – Northern Virginia Community College
Junior de la Iglesia – Northern Virginia Community College
Anastasia Duenas – Northern Virginia Community College
Aanya Hasan – Northern Virginia Community College
Anum Khan – Northern Virginia Community College
Subin Kim – Northern Virginia Community College
Kerri Langhorne – Northern Virginia Community College
Mariah Salazar-Solorzano – Northern Virginia Community College
Kayla Sherman – Northern Virginia Community College
Meelod Waheed – Northern Virginia Community College
Faith Sprinkle – Patrick Henry Community College
Priya Patel – Thomas Nelson Community College
Lukas Havenstein – Virginia Western Community College
Vermont
Autumn Morse – Community College of Vermont
Washington
Robert Hodge – Eastern Gateway Community College
Qing Chen – Edmonds Community College
Clarissa Perez – Seattle Central College
Amber Oosting – Spokane Falls Community College
Wyoming
Jose Alvarez Esquivel – Casper College
HeeLin Lee – Casper College
Ten additional Cooke Transfer Scholar Semifinalists did not opt into publicity.
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The Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded $230 million in scholarships to nearly 3,000 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive counseling and other support services. The Foundation has also provided $120 million in grants to organizations that serve such students. www.jkcf.org