Fascinated by the Brain: Cooke Scholar Marcela Rodrigues Guimarães
Marcela Rodrigues Guimarães is fascinated by the brain. And now, thanks to the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, she has the opportunity to study it at one of the best colleges in the nation.
After thriving as a community college student at City College of San Francisco, this fall Marcela begins her first semester at Smith College, where she’ll be studying neuroscience and building the foundation for her future career plans.
“I’m really interested in research and understanding the brain, and how it relates with cognition and behavior,” says Marcela. “But I’m also interested in the clinical part, and understanding disease. So, I plan to do in the future an MD-PhD, so I could become a doctor and also do research.”
As a Cooke Scholar, Marcela will receive up to $40,000 per year to complete her bachelor’s degree, along with opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school funding. Beyond that, she also has the opportunity to connect with the vibrant community of Cooke Scholars.
“Being a Cooke Scholar means being part of something that is just much bigger than myself,” she says. “It’s being part of a new generation of students who are going to change a lot of things. Who are going to advance in terms of social mobility. Who are going to achieve a lot of things that their parents were not able to. And they are going to provide for people who come after them.”
It’s your turn, community college students – apply today!