WELLS-The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has opened the nomination process for the largest scholarships available to students and recent alumni from community colleges.  Through the initiative, called the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program, the private foundation will award up to $30,000 annually per recipient to help students and recent alumni from community and two-year colleges pursue four-year degrees at any accredited college or university in the United States or abroad.  Last year, the Foundation received over 600 nominations for these scholarships.  York County Community College graduate, Grady Fox of Springvale, was the first ever, Maine Community College System student to receive this award and was recently recognized in the November 7, 2008 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

While 45 percent of all college students in the US attend community colleges, few private funds are available to help top community college students transfer to four-year institutions, in spite of their high levels of ability and need.  The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation scholarships can provide funding for tuition, room and board, required fees, and books for length of the undergraduate degree, generally two years.  Each award can total up to $30,000 annually, though the amounts will vary based on such factors as the cost of the institution each recipient attends.

The Foundation plans to award approximately 50 scholarships through this program in spring 2009.  It will renew awards each year based upon student performance.  Current students are eligible , as are alumni who earned a degree from a two-year institution since spring 2004 and have not since transferred to a four-year college.  The YCCC internal application deadline is January 2, 2009.  All candidates must be nominated by the faculty representative at their college.  The list of faculty representatives and application materials are available on the Foundation’s website, www.jkcf.org .

York County Community College, established in 1994, is one of seven community colleges in the Maine Community College System.  The college enrolls approximately 1,100 students in associate degrees and transfer programs and over 1,600 individuals in non-credit continuing education and professional development areas.

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