The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announced QCC Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society student and QCC Student Government President Shauna Connelly was a semifinalist for its highly competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
Ms. Connell is one of 440 semifinalists nationwide that herald from 35 states and 180 community colleges across the nation. Scholarship recipients are selected based on their exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, service, and leadership. Students must be currently enrolled in community college or recent alumni.
"I’m still so excited after finding out I’m a semifinalist. I know it's a hard scholarship to acquire so I just did my best on my application and sent it off. I had hoped to hear something back but expected not to. When the email came in, I was in complete shock,” Ms. Connelly said. “I’m still shocked and am so honored to be selected as a semifinalist. Thanks to QCC I’ve been able to build the foundation leading to such achievements!"
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship supports high-achieving community college students with financial need seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at selective four-year institutions.
“The past year has been particularly difficult as students continued to navigate the complexities of hybrid learning, the demands of family care, and disrupted work schedules,” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “We are so proud of these semifinalists for their perseverance and achievements at their community colleges.”
The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship recipients will receive up to $55,000 per year to attend a four-year accredited undergraduate school and pursue any area of study. The finalists will be announced by early May.