Rochester Community and Technical College
Student Awarded Cooke Foundation Scholarship
(Rochester, MN) Rochester Community and Technical College is proud to announce student Munira Alimire has been awarded a prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship. Ms. Alimire is a current student at RCTC and holds an executive leadership position as the Student Senate Secretary. She was the only student from Minnesota to be selected for the Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program. Each scholarship recipient will receive up to $40,000 annually to complete their bachelor’s degree.
In addition to the monetary award, these new Cooke College Scholars will receive comprehensive educational advising from foundation staff to guide them through the processes of transitioning to campus and preparing for their careers. The foundation will additionally provide opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school funding, as well as connection to a thriving network of 2,300 fellow Cooke Scholars and alumni.
“High-achieving students with financial need are often deterred from applying to elite colleges and universities,” said Harold O. Levy, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.“ And yet, the research clearly shows that when they are able to enroll in selective institutions, lower-income students are just as likely as their wealthier peers to be academically successful and graduate. We look forward to supporting Cooke College Scholars as they matriculate to universities such as Stanford, Yale, and Harvard.”
This year, over 5,000 students applied for the Cooke College Scholarship. Many of these students were identified through a partnership with the College Board, which connects scholarship organizations to students through their participation in the PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10. The foundation evaluated each submission based on academic ability, persistence, leadership, and service to others. Engineering, political science and government, biological science, and physics are the most popular fields of study among the cohort.
Established in 1915, RCTC is the largest higher education provider in the fastest-growing city in Minnesota, serving more than 8,000 students a year in credit courses and nearly 3,700 in non-credit continuing and workforce education programs. RCTC combines the best in liberal arts, technical, and life-long learning with more than 70 credit-based programs and over 100 credential options. RCTC’s expansive 518-acre campus includes university partnerships, a diverse student body, and a vibrant student life program. RCTC provides a unique learning environment that offers the feel of a four-year university campus with the commitment to access and opportunity of a two-year college.
RCTC is a member of Minnesota State—a higher education system that includes 30 two-year community and technical colleges and seven state universities serving more than 430,000 students. It is the fifth-largest higher education system of its kind in the United States.