Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Names Four Queensborough Student Semifinalists in Highly Competitive Nationwide Scholarship
Queensborough Community College is pleased to announce that four students have been selected as semifinalists of the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The award can provide as much as $55,000 per year for two to three years to complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited four-year undergraduate institution in the U.S.
The 467 semifinalists were chosen from a pool of more than 1,600 applicants and attend 212 community colleges in 43 states. The rigorous selection process assesses candidates on their exceptional academic ability and achievement, demonstrated financial need, perseverance, and leadership. The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship recipients will be announced in May.
The four students selected from Queensborough are Ieesha Ansar, Chemistry, Pedrocia De-Sosoo, Computer Science and Information Security and Ian Kim, Business Administration. All are candidates for spring 2025 graduation. The fourth semifinalist, Melanie Jerez Cruz, graduated last spring with an associate in science (A.S.) degree in Psychology.
Queensborough has a distinguished history of nominees—and winners—of the Cooke Transfer Scholarship. In 2023, students selected as semifinalists were Aisha Frampton Clark, a Liberal Arts major and a member of Phi Theta Kappa; Elijah Bernard, also a member of Phi Theta Kappa studying in the Joint Forensic Science Program with John Jay College of Criminal Justice; Arafat Akon, a Computer Information Systems major; and Hafiz Tariq, a Biological Sciences and Geology major and Student Government Vice President of Part-Time Students. Awardees in 2015 were Daisy Proano and Silvia Salamone, Chemistry; and Kyle Chin-How, a Political Science major active in student governance. Chemistry student Biling Chen was a recipient in 2020.
“We value our connections to educators serving high achieving students with financial need,” said Zach Campion, Manager of Scholarship Selection, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.
About Queensborough Community College Queensborough is New York State’s highest-ranked community college and one of the best community colleges in the United States, according to a 2023 report released by WalletHub.com. It is the sixth year in a row Queensborough has been listed as a top institution of higher education by WalletHub for its education outcomes, career outcomes, and affordability. Queensborough was also ranked among the best community colleges in New York in 2024 by the online publication Intelligent and number two in New York in 2024 by the online publication Niche. These rankings reflect Queensborough’s commitment to developing students holistically in a nurturing and diverse environment that fosters a culture of equity and inclusion, preparing them to be successful in a dynamic, global workforce.
The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship offers unparalleled support to community college students. In addition to the generous financial support, selected Cooke Transfer Scholars will receive educational
advising from the Foundation’s Deans of Scholar Support to guide them through the process of transitioning to a four-year school and preparing for their future endeavors. They will also have access to opportunities for internships, study abroad, graduate school funding, and the incomparable connection to a robust network of more than 3,000 fellow Cooke Scholars and Alumni.
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