The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation recently announced two Waubonsee students — Roland Asongakap, of Aurora, and 2022-2023 Waubonsee Student Trustee Juan Chiu, of Aurora, — as semifinalists for its highly competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is designed to create a clear pathway to a four-year degree by offering up to $55,000 per year in scholarship dollars, academic advising, and access to a network of peers.
Asongakap and Chiu were chosen as semifinalists from a pool of more than 1,700 applicants that attend 215 community colleges across 38 states. If awarded, the financial assistance will help solidify their career aspirations.
As an aspiring medical doctor, Asongakap believes this scholarship will help him prepare for his Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). “This funding would alleviate the need for me to work while I complete rigorous upper-level biology coursework for medical school at the University of Illinois Chicago,” said Asongakap.
“It was a good breath of fresh air to learn I was selected as a semifinalist because I wasn’t expecting it, but I wanted to apply to keep my options open,” said Chiu. “Waubonsee makes the transfer process easy, but trying to figure out the financials and how to maneuver to afford a bachelor’s [degree] can be daunting so that’s why I applied, and always encourage others to apply for scholarships.”
Asongakap and Chiu will receive recognition at Waubonsee’s April board meeting for exemplifying the qualities of hard-working community college students. The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship recipients will be announced later in April. To view a list of this year’s semifinalists and their respective community colleges or to learn more about the scholarship, visit jkcf.org.
Some of the latest research from the American Talent Initiative estimates that roughly 50,000 high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds could transfer to four-year colleges each year but don’t, often due to cost.
Waubonsee Community College’s affordable tuition rates and transfer pathways create a clear choice for students desiring to transfer into any college or four-year institution. Waubonsee students have transferred to nearly 800 U.S. colleges and universities due to the college’s extensive guaranteed transfer partnerships and 2+2 plans. Learn more about Waubonsee’s transfer program by visiting waubonsee.edu/transfer.
Pictured above (from left to right): Roland Asongakap and Juan Chiu
