Columbus State student receives Jack Kent Cooke scholarship

Campus News | Friday, August 22, 2025

A Columbus State student has been awarded a prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The scholarship is valued at $55,000 annually for up to three years.

Heisenberg Francis is one of just 90 community college students nationwide (and the only one from Ohio) selected as a Cooke Scholarship awardee. (See all awardees.) The scholarship allows Francis to complete a bachelor’s degree at any four-year institution, providing a significantly reduced financial burden.

(Hear comments from Heisenberg Francis on May 9, 2025.)

Francis credits Angela Howard, Biological & Physical Sciences associate professor, with making this scholarship award possible. “I want to be very grateful for the support in the application process from Dr. Howard, who assisted,” said Francis. 

The 23-year-old Francis came to the United States from Tanzania in 2022. “One of the things I appreciate most about Columbus State is the support I received as I transitioned to college life,” says Francis. “Moving thousands of miles away to a new country was very intimidating, but the college Orientation and the personalized support from peers and teachers made all the difference in the world.”

Francis quickly got involved by joining the STEM Club and later became a Peer Learning Success Leader to assist other students. He says that joining the Honors Program transformed his experience “immensely” at Columbus State, 

With the Cooke scholarship now in hand, Francis plans to transfer to Case Western Reserve University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, followed by graduate studies. 

The 2025 cohort marks one of the largest in the Foundation’s 25-year history, reinforcing its continued commitment to creating debt-free pathways to higher education for high-achieving students with financial need.

“This year’s cohort reflects the remarkable talent and determination thriving in community colleges nationwide,” said Giuseppe “Seppy” Basili, Executive Director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “As we mark 25 years of impact, we remain committed to amplifying the successes of these students and opening doors to the opportunities they deserve.”

While nearly 80% of community college students aspire to earn a bachelor’s degree, only 16% reach that goal within six years. The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which makes this goal more attainable for selected students, provides last-dollar funding of up to $55,000 per year for up to three years and eases the financial burden of completing a four-year degree. 

This year’s selection process drew more than 1,600 applications from community colleges across the nation. The 90 new Scholars were selected from a semifinalist pool of 467 students. (A second Columbus State student, Shoaib Mezher, was among the semifinalists.) Applicants were evaluated based on their academic achievement, unmet financial need, persistence, and leadership qualities.

The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly selective scholarship for the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities. Each Cooke Scholar has access to generous financial support for two to three years, college planning support, ongoing advising, and the opportunity to connect with the thriving community of fellow Scholars.

 

 

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