Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Awards College Scholarships to 85 Students in 27 States

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Jun 15, 2016, 03:18 ET

LANSDOWNE, Va., June 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation today announced it has awarded college scholarships – each worth up to $40,000 annually – to 85 high school students from 27 states who have extraordinary academic records and financial need.

A list of the scholars by state – including their home cities, high schools and the colleges they plan to attend – can be found here.

Ethan Ambrose, an Urban Ambassador and star student at Medgar Evers College Preparatory in Brooklyn is one of the 85 high-achieving high school seniors who will become Cooke College Scholars this year.

Nearly 5,000 outstanding students from all 50 states, two U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia qualified as applicants for the nationwide Cooke College Scholarships.

The new Cooke College Scholars have strong records of achievement as shown by grades, test scores, leadership skills, awards, extraordinary service to others and perseverance in the face of adversity. They have an average high school GPA of 3.8 (on a 4.0 scale) and their median family income last year was $28,887.

"These scholarships will transform the lives of remarkable young people who excelled in high school and who are capable of excelling at the most challenging colleges and universities," Cooke Foundation Executive Director Harold O. Levy said. "Our nation will benefit by enabling these remarkable students to fully develop their talents and achieve great things."

Levy thanked the College Board for helping the Cooke Foundation to identify outstanding candidates for the Cooke College Scholarships, based on their PSAT scores.

The Cooke Scholarships are the largest in the nation. Since 2000, the Cooke Foundation has awarded approximately $147 million in scholarships to more than 2,000 students and $90 million in grants to organizations that serve outstanding low-income students

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. After earning a bachelor's degree, each Cooke College Scholar will be eligible to apply for a scholarship for graduate school worth up to $50,000 a year for up to four years.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. It offers the largest scholarships in the U.S., comprehensive counseling and other support services to students from 8th grade to graduate school. Since 2000 it has awarded about $147 million in scholarships to more than 2,000 students and $90 million in grants to organizations that serve outstanding low-income students. www.jkcf.org

Media Contact: David Egner
202-779-1743
[email protected]

Video - https://youtu.be/QTHFC-Y1jqM

SOURCE Jack Kent Cooke Foundation