New grants from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation aim to improve college access and academic excellence

POSTED ON Jun 13, 2023

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has awarded over $1.7 million in grant funding to nine organizations committed to closing opportunity gaps and supporting high-achieving students with financial needs. These grants will enable the organizations to expand their student outreach or improve their programs. (Photo contributor: Adam Cole, Shutterstock.com)

The foundation has been supporting students directly and granting funds to organizations that help prepare students for college since 2001. The latest grantees include Delaware College Scholars, EMERGE, Heights Philadelphia, High Jump, and Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America, which have a track record of successfully aiding under-resourced students in applying to, attending, and graduating from college.

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) recently launched the Full-Circle Mentorship program, which is supported by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.

This year-long program provides one-on-one academic and career mentorship support to eligible college and professional members. Mentees are college students or early career professionals, while mentors are early career or later professionals.

Mentees receive practical advice, encouragement, and support, develop skills and strategies for academic and career issues, gain valuable insight into the next stage of their education and career, and enhance their social and academic confidence.

Mentors, on the other hand, develop leadership and management qualities, increase their confidence and motivation, volunteer in a valuable opportunity that employers value, gain recognition for their skills and experience, and experience personal growth and fulfillment.

The 2023 NATIVE SCHOLARSHIP FORUM in March offered various scholarship opportunities to Native students. Organizations such as the College Fund, Native Forward, AISES, and Cobell discussed several scholarship programs, including the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarships, which provide up to $40,000 in financial aid to high-achieving undergraduate and transfer students with financial needs.

Other opportunities include the Native Forward Scholars Fund, AISES USAA Scholarship, Cobell Scholarships, Propel Postdoctoral Scholars, Indian Health Services Scholars, Native Natural Resources Funding, STEM Undergraduate Scholarship, and MSU Native Nursing Scholarships.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation recently awarded the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship to 60 outstanding community college students. This national scholarship aims to help Scholars complete their undergraduate education with minimal debt and is highly competitive. Recipients can receive up to $55,000 per year in last-dollar funding after all institutional aid has been applied.

Robeson Community College hosted the 2023 District 7 AISES Conference in April, which featured various activities such as breakout sessions, a banquet, cultural exhibitions, and a powwow exhibition. The event was open to dually enrolled students, college students, and professionals at a cost of $10 for students and $20 for professionals.

The AISES Fest was free and open to the public and took place on Saturday at the center of the campus. The conference drew attendees from across the Southeast and was sponsored by several organizations, including the Lumbee Tribe Holding, Inc., Duke Energy, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, the USDA, the United States Intelligence Community, NASA, Lumberton Visitors Bureau, Merck, Metcon, Dominion Energy, and Lumbee Tribal Council Members.

The conference provided opportunities for career exploration and tours of the Museum of the Southeast American Indian and the Curt and Catherine Locklear American Indian Heritage Center.