Madison Reporter

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has announced that Madison College student Grace Zongo is among the 60 community college students awarded the prestigious Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. This scholarship is known for its competitive nature and allows recipients to complete their undergraduate degrees at four-year institutions with reduced financial burden.

Zongo, who graduated from the Liberal Art Transfer Program-Engineering pre-major on May 10, 2024, plans to major in electrical engineering. With a perfect GPA of 4.0 and an impressive portfolio of project and volunteer experience, Zongo aspires to become an electrical engineer and utilize his skills to improve technology access in his home country.

"I chose to do electrical engineering because it is my childhood passion, coming from a family without electricity access in Burkina Faso," Zongo shared. "So as I grew up, this passion slowly transformed into a deep desire to bring affordable electronics and energy to my home country."

Research by the Community College Research Center suggests that transfer pathways from community colleges significantly contribute to enrollment and diversity at four-year institutions. However, obstacles such as a lack of scholarship opportunities for transfer students and loss of credits during the transfer process continue to keep bachelor’s degree completion rates low.

“Community college students remain far too underrepresented at our nation’s top institutions, despite clear research demonstrating their success once they arrive. Our scholarship is one way we aim to ensure that high-achieving students have the opportunity to complete their degree where they want, regardless of their financial background,” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Cooke Foundation.

The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship aims to allow scholars graduate with minimal debt. The award can provide as much as $55,000 a year after all other institutional aid has been applied. Besides financial support, Cooke Transfer Scholars receive comprehensive educational advising crucial for navigating their transition to four-year colleges and planning their career paths. They also gain access to internship opportunities, study abroad and graduate school funding, as well as a dynamic network of over 3,000 Cooke Scholars and Alumni.

This year, the scholarship received nearly 1,700 applications from over 380 community colleges. Applicants were evaluated based on their academic prowess, financial need, and leadership qualities.