Northeast State celebrates two recent spring graduates as recipients of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship for 2022.
Students-now-alumni Zachary Andina and Bryan Kirk were two of 100 recipients selected to receive the transfer scholarship from a pool of nearly 1,200 applicants representing 332 community colleges nationwide. They were selected based on academic achievement, unmet financial need, persistence, and leadership.
The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Foundation supports high-achieving community college students as they transfer to some of the best four-year institutions in the country to complete their bachelor’s degrees.
Andina and Kirk join fellow alumni Merissa Williams (2011) and Beth Ross (2013) as the all-time Northeast State student winners of the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Both students aspire to serve others in their community.
Andina relocated to Tennessee from New York. He made the decision to enroll at Northeast State to pursue his passion and chart a new career path.
“This was an opportunity to change my life,” he said. “You can’t do anything alone in this life.”
Andina plans to continue his studies in psychology at a four-year university. He envisions becoming a clinical psychologist researching the effects of abuse and neglect from early childhood to emerging adulthood. He also plans to operate a private practice specializing in clinical child and adolescent psychology to mitigate the potential effects of abuse and neglect.
“I intend to form a social reformation group focusing on providing and lobbying for social programs to make mental health care accessible, affordable, and inclusive to impoverished and underserved communities,” said Andina.
Kirk graduated having completed academic requirements to earn SIX associate degrees: Economics; Business Administration; Finance; Accounting; Management; and the Tennessee Board of Regents’ General Transfer through Tennessee Transfer Pathways. He served as president of Alpha Iota Chi, the College’s chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society for the Two-Year College. An Honors Program graduate, Kirk won the award for Outstanding Student of the Year for 2021 at Northeast State. He also won a $1,000 2021 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise scholarship—based on academic achievement, community service, and leadership potential.
Kirk was accepted into formidable Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. He plans to study economics with a focus on renewable energy and manufacturing in the Appalachian region. Kirk said growing up in Appalachia as the coal industry declined and the region’s economy changed made a big impact on his academic choices.
“The study of economics speaks to me on a logical level, and the situations that have impacted myself and many people I know can be viewed closely, and without the influence of politics, from that perspective,” Kirk said. “I hope to find ways to improve the economy of Appalachia at the ground level, whether through education or entrepreneurship.”
Cooke Transfer Scholars are selected based on their exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, service to others, and leadership. Students must be currently enrolled community college students or recent graduates residing in the United States.
Andina is a member of the Alpha Iota Chi chapter of PTK and a Tennessee Promise scholarship recipient. He graduated with an associate of science degree in Psychology. He is also a member of President’s All-Academic Team of 2022 for students earning a 4.0 grade point average in every semester since enrolling at Northeast State.
“I aspire to remain in a consistent progression of learning both academically and nonacademically,” said Andina. “Being under the wings of professors and faculty members, as well as fellow scholars, I will not only continue to blossom but fly to new heights I never envisaged possible.”
Each scholarship is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational expenses – including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees – for the final two to three years necessary to achieve a bachelor’s degree. Awards vary by individual, based on the cost of tuition as well as other grants or scholarships they may receive.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation provides the largest private scholarship in the country to exceptionally talented community college students who have financial need. Recipients receive up to $55,000 per year toward tuition, living expenses, books, and required fees to complete their bachelor’s degree. Additionally, Cooke Scholars are welcomed into the thriving Cooke community and network, receive one-on-one educational advising, and are eligible for internship and graduate school funding from the Foundation.
The Foundation reported 2022 as the largest cohort of undergraduate transfer scholars selected. The Foundation also recognized Northeast State associate professor Michele Glass for promoting the scholarship opportunity on campus and supporting those students who submitted applications. Northeast State recognizes these students for their dedication to excellence and a desire to serve their communities.
“There are people at Northeast State who watch out for students who are really trying their best to go above and beyond,” said Kirk. “They cultivate some pretty incredible opportunities for those students, no matter their field of study.”
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Northeast State celebrates two recent spring graduates as recipients of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship for 2022.
Students-now-alumni Zachary Andina and Bryan Kirk were two of 100 recipients selected to receive the transfer scholarship from a pool of nearly 1,200 applicants representing 332 community colleges nationwide. They were selected based on academic achievement, unmet financial need, persistence, and leadership.
The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Foundation supports high-achieving community college students as they transfer to some of the best four-year institutions in the country to complete their bachelor’s degrees.
Andina and Kirk join fellow alumni Merissa Williams (2011) and Beth Ross (2013) as the all-time Northeast State student winners of the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Both students aspire to serve others in their community.
Andina relocated to Tennessee from New York. He made the decision to enroll at Northeast State to pursue his passion and chart a new career path.
“This was an opportunity to change my life,” he said. “You can’t do anything alone in this life.”
Andina plans to continue his studies in psychology at a four-year university. He envisions becoming a clinical psychologist researching the effects of abuse and neglect from early childhood to emerging adulthood. He also plans to operate a private practice specializing in clinical child and adolescent psychology to mitigate the potential effects of abuse and neglect.
“I intend to form a social reformation group focusing on providing and lobbying for social programs to make mental health care accessible, affordable, and inclusive to impoverished and underserved communities,” said Andina.
Kirk graduated having completed academic requirements to earn SIX associate degrees: Economics; Business Administration; Finance; Accounting; Management; and the Tennessee Board of Regents’ General Transfer through Tennessee Transfer Pathways. He served as president of Alpha Iota Chi, the College’s chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society for the Two-Year College. An Honors Program graduate, Kirk won the award for Outstanding Student of the Year for 2021 at Northeast State. He also won a $1,000 2021 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise scholarship—based on academic achievement, community service, and leadership potential.
Kirk was accepted into formidable Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. He plans to study economics with a focus on renewable energy and manufacturing in the Appalachian region. Kirk said growing up in Appalachia as the coal industry declined and the region’s economy changed made a big impact on his academic choices.
“The study of economics speaks to me on a logical level, and the situations that have impacted myself and many people I know can be viewed closely, and without the influence of politics, from that perspective,” Kirk said. “I hope to find ways to improve the economy of Appalachia at the ground level, whether through education or entrepreneurship.”
Cooke Transfer Scholars are selected based on their exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, service to others, and leadership. Students must be currently enrolled community college students or recent graduates residing in the United States.
Andina is a member of the Alpha Iota Chi chapter of PTK and a Tennessee Promise scholarship recipient. He graduated with an associate of science degree in Psychology. He is also a member of President’s All-Academic Team of 2022 for students earning a 4.0 grade point average in every semester since enrolling at Northeast State.
“I aspire to remain in a consistent progression of learning both academically and nonacademically,” said Andina. “Being under the wings of professors and faculty members, as well as fellow scholars, I will not only continue to blossom but fly to new heights I never envisaged possible.”
Each scholarship is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational expenses – including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees – for the final two to three years necessary to achieve a bachelor’s degree. Awards vary by individual, based on the cost of tuition as well as other grants or scholarships they may receive.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation provides the largest private scholarship in the country to exceptionally talented community college students who have financial need. Recipients receive up to $55,000 per year toward tuition, living expenses, books, and required fees to complete their bachelor’s degree. Additionally, Cooke Scholars are welcomed into the thriving Cooke community and network, receive one-on-one educational advising, and are eligible for internship and graduate school funding from the Foundation.
The Foundation reported 2022 as the largest cohort of undergraduate transfer scholars selected. The Foundation also recognized Northeast State associate professor Michele Glass for promoting the scholarship opportunity on campus and supporting those students who submitted applications. Northeast State recognizes these students for their dedication to excellence and a desire to serve their communities.
“There are people at Northeast State who watch out for students who are really trying their best to go above and beyond,” said Kirk. “They cultivate some pretty incredible opportunities for those students, no matter their field of study.”
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