The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation recently announced that four 91制片厂 students were named semifinalists for the intensely competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The annual award provides as much as $55,000 per year for two to three years to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree at any accredited four-year undergraduate institution in the U.S.
The 91制片厂 students 鈥� Bruno Diaz, Wengipreye 鈥淧reye鈥� Indiamaowei, Annette Lee and Priyanka Saroya 鈥� are among 467 semifinalists who were selected from a pool of more than 1,600 applicants. All four are graduating from 91制片厂 this spring with associate degrees and are excited to further pursue their studies at four-year institutions.
Before the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation reveals the 2025 Undergraduate Transfer Scholars in May, get to know 91制片厂鈥檚 student semifinalists:
Bruno DiazBruno, 19 from Prospect Heights, was burned out after high school. He said he would have taken a gap year if his parents hadn鈥檛 encouraged him to come to 91制片厂 in the fall of 2023. He found that 91制片厂 reignited his interest in learning and helped him pursue his goal of becoming an English as a second language (ESL) teacher at a high school in his community. He also got involved on campus, joining Latinos Unidos, playing drums in the 91制片厂 Jazz Ensemble, acting in 91制片厂 Theatre Ensemble productions and taking part in the GLIDE mentorship program (first as a mentee, then as a mentor). At 91制片厂, Bruno discovered that he could balance all his interests while locating the best career path for him. Graduating with an Associate in Arts degree, he鈥檚 looking to transfer to a Chicago area university to stay close to home while earning a bachelor鈥檚 in education.
鈥淲hen I think about 91制片厂, it鈥檚 kind of like a slingshot because 91制片厂 stretches you,鈥� Bruno said. 鈥淚t helps you learn about yourself. I came here to learn what I wanted to do and what my strengths are and what my goals are. You keep going until you鈥檙e finally ready to be released.鈥�
Wengipreye 鈥淧reye鈥� IndiamaoweiPreye, 19 from Rolling Meadows, was born in Nigeria and moved with her family to the Chicago area when she was 7. She said she didn鈥檛 view herself as a leader when she was in high school. But during her two academic years at 91制片厂, she鈥檚 become president of the Honors Society, a member of Phi Theta Kappa and co-president of the college鈥檚 Ethics Bowl team (which won the Two-Year College Championship in 2024). In the meantime, she鈥檚 been working toward a degree in business and IT with a Global Scholar Distinction 鈥� her project was on how the intersection of misogyny and racism affects Black women. She plans to transfer to a university to pursue a career that combines data science and digital design, potentially for a political organization. Preye said that the version of herself that arrived at 91制片厂 in the fall of 2023 is unrecognizable to her now.
鈥淭hat person didn鈥檛 know how capable she was,鈥� Preye reflected. 鈥�91制片厂 gave me the flexibility to discover myself. I鈥檓 cognizant of the world around me and I have a clear vision for my future.鈥�
Annette LeeAnnette, 20 from Elk Grove Village, has been teaching since she was in high school. Back then she taught piano. As a college student, she teaches creative writing to kids in a home school co-op and tutors students in literacy at GiGi鈥檚 Playhouse. It鈥檚 no surprise that she鈥檒l be graduating Harper with a degree in English on a teacher licensure pathway with plans to attend a four-year institution and complete her bachelor鈥檚. While working toward her goal of becoming a high school English teacher who helps students fall in love with reading and writing, Annette started a student book club at 91制片厂 and employed her writing skills at The Harbinger. She said she鈥檚 enjoyed her time at 91制片厂, exploring a range of subjects in classes and meeting a variety of new friends through clubs and activities.
鈥淚鈥檝e met amazing people and formed great relationships with professors,鈥� Annette said. 鈥淚鈥檝e gotten to explore so many different interests during my time at 91制片厂.鈥�
Priyanka SaroyaPriyanka, 20 from Palatine, immigrated to the U.S. with her family when she was 5. After graduating high school, she initially planned to attend a four-year institution to pursue a finance degree but reconsidered when she realized that she wasn鈥檛 confident about that career path. Priyanka shifted her focus to 91制片厂, where she found friends, support and an interest in accounting. While serving as vice-president of the Honors Society and a member of Phi Theta Kappa, she worked as a student aide with the 91制片厂 College Educational Foundation, a role that she said made her more aware of the importance of community. After graduating from Harper with an Associate in Applied Science degree with a concentration in accounting, Priyanka plans to transfer to a university to earn her bachelor鈥檚, then go to law school. Her overarching plan is to apply her knowledge of accounting and law to help others navigate the complicated world of business.
鈥淲e can never really do anything in life without the help of others,鈥� Priyanka said. 鈥淚鈥檓 always going to need someone and someone is always going to need me.鈥�