Cooke Foundation Awards 39 Graduate Scholarships

LANSDOWNE, Va., July 7, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation today announces the 39 recipients of its 2015 Graduate Scholarships. Selected for their academic achievements, unmet financial need, and demonstrated leadership and engagement in their communities, these outstanding Cooke Scholars will receive up to $50,000 per year for up to four years to pursue graduate degrees at some of the most prestigious institutions in the world.

All of the Graduate Scholars previously received highly competitive Cooke Foundation undergraduate scholarships, nine through the College Scholarship Program for undergraduates and 30 through the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship for community college students who seek bachelor degrees.

"These scholars are some of the most talented and driven students in the country who we know will go on to make invaluable contributions to our nation," said Executive Director Harold O. Levy. "Our very generous graduate scholarship ensures that lack of financial means will not become a barrier to reaching their obviously great potential."

This fall, six Graduate Scholars will begin studies in medicine, five in engineering, two in law, and three in social work and services. The rest will enter programs for business, dentistry, divinity, psychology, library science, communications, international development, humanities, social sciences, education, and visual and performing arts.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation congratulates the following 2015 Graduate Scholars:

Neam Alazawi
Undergraduate Institution: University of Michigan
Graduate Institution: Ross University

Carla Alvarez Valverde
Undergraduate Institution: Columbia University
Graduate Institution: Institute d'Etudes Politique de Paris

Yasmine Arrington
Undergraduate Institution: Elon University
Graduate Institution: Howard University

Oyudari Baatartsogt
Undergraduate Institution: University of Minnesota
Graduate Institution: University of Minnesota

Ali Bacharouch
Undergraduate Institution: University of Michigan
Graduate Institution: University of Michigan

Marybeth Banks
Undergraduate Institution: Wellesley College
Graduate Institution: New York University- Paris

Pawsansoe Karen Bree
Undergraduate Institution: Hartwick College
Graduate Institution: Webster University

Brian Chantrupon
Undergraduate Institution: University of Southern California
Graduate Institution: Cornell University

Candice Clark
Undergraduate Institution: University of Alabama, Huntsville
Graduate Institution: Oregon State University

Mayra Cruz
Undergraduate Institution: George Washington University
Graduate Institution: Columbia University

Yiqing Dong
Undergraduate Institution: Northwestern University
Graduate Institution: University of Chicago

Abigail Escatel
Undergraduate Institution: North Central College
Graduate Institution: Northern Illinois University

Timothy Gaura
Undergraduate Institution: Amherst College
Graduate Institution: Yale University

Rama Gerig
Undergraduate Institution: University of Saint Thomas
Graduate Institution: University of Houston

Edward Graff
Undergraduate Institution: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Graduate Institution: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Kelsey Greenwood
Undergraduate Institution: Bennington College
Graduate Institution: Champlain College

Anna Groves
Undergraduate Institution: George Mason University
Graduate Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Olga Homonchuk
Undergraduate Institution: Cornell University
Graduate Institution: University of Oxford

Elissa Jennings
Undergraduate Institution: Harvard University
Graduate Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Travis Johnson
Undergraduate Institution: San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Graduate Institution: University of Texas at Austin

Stephanie Lee
Undergraduate Institution: Valparaiso University
Graduate Institution: University of Florida

Ahmad Lewis
Undergraduate Institution: Stanford University
University of Southern California

Larry Liam Ching Liu
Undergraduate Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Graduate Institution: University of Oxford

Anthony Lombardo
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Berkeley
Graduate Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Daniel Martin
Undergraduate Institution: Indiana University
Graduate Institution: TBD

Lindsey Narmour
Undergraduate Institution: Hollins University
Graduate Institution: University of Auckland

MyLien T. Nguyen
Undergraduate Institution: Tulane University
Graduate Institution: Academy of Art University

Kelli Niemeyer
Undergraduate Institution: University of Wyoming
Graduate Institution: University of Colorado

Maryknoll Palisoc
Undergraduate Institution: Ohio State University
Graduate Institution: Johns Hopkins University

Tung Phan
Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Berkeley
Graduate Institution: California Institute of Technology

Isaac Powell
Undergraduate Institution: Columbia University
Graduate Institution: California Lutheran University

Adhithya Rajasekaran
Undergraduate Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology
Graduate Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology

Clara Ramirez
Undergraduate Institution: Texas Christian University
Graduate Institution: University of North Texas Health Science Center

Satcha Robinson
Undergraduate Institution: American University
Graduate Institution: Georgetown University

Suellen Sa
Undergraduate Institution: University of Florida
Graduate Institution: University of Florida

Kadiata Sy
Undergraduate Institution: Emory University
Graduate Institution: St. Andrews University

Karis Tang-Quan
Undergraduate Institution: Stanford University
Graduate Institution: Texas A & M University

Danielle Tate-Maccaroni
Undergraduate Institution: Converse College
Graduate Institution: University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Stanley Yuan
Undergraduate Institution: Princeton University
Graduate Institution: University of California, Los Angeles

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. By offering the largest scholarships in the country, comprehensive counseling and other support services to students from 7th grade to graduate school, the Foundation is dedicated to ensuring high-performing, low-income students have the support necessary to develop their talents and excel educationally. In addition to its scholarship programs, the Foundation provides grants for innovative, high-impact initiatives that benefit such students. By doing so, the Cooke Foundation seeks to use its resources to end the Excellence Gap, the disparity between the number of low and high income students who reach the top levels of academic performance. Founded in 2000, the Foundation has awarded $130 million in scholarships to 1,900 students and over $80 million in grants. www.jkcf.org

SOURCE Jack Kent Cooke Foundation