Academic Advising and Registration

HCC student named as finalist for Cooke Foundation Transfer Scholarship

(March 8, 2021) – Vivianna Wamiru, alumna of Hagerstown Community College, has been named a finalist for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, worth up to $40,000 a year, to complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university.

Wamiru, 21, International student from Kenya, graduated from HCC in the spring of 2020 with a 3.94 grade-point average. She earned an associate degree in biotechnology and worked as an intern through the InovaBio-MD program on campus. She is currently working for a biotechnology lab in Frederick and applying to four-year universities. Wamiru ultimately wants to come up with solutions in health and cancer treatment.

Each year, the Cooke Foundation selects outstanding community college students from around the nation from a competitive pool. This year, 406 semifinalists were chosen from a pool of over 1,500 applicants attending 398 community colleges in 44 states and the District of Columbia, to receive undergraduate transfer scholarships. All of the Cooke undergraduate transfer scholars have financial need and strong records of academic achievement as shown by grades, leadership skills, awards, extraordinary service to others, and perseverance in the face of adversity.

The Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is the largest private scholarship in the nation for students transferring from two-year community colleges to four-year institutions that award bachelor’s degrees. Cooke Scholarships fund the costs of attending college not covered by other financial aid, plus academic advising, stipends for internships, study abroad, and opportunities to network with other Cooke Scholars and alumni. To learn more, visit www.jkcf.org.