Northeast Texas Community College learned last week that three sophomore students have been named semifinalists for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Ryan-Rose Mendoza, Melody Mott and Bailey Hall, all of Mount Pleasant, are among those who will move into the final stages of the highly-competitive competition.
Their applications were among more than 2,800 submitted by students across the nation. Only 20% of applicants made it to semifinalist status. Jack Kent Cooke winners, who receive scholarships of $40,000 per year for up to three years, will be announced in April.
?Being a semifinalist is a huge honor that has helped students gain admission into Ivy League schools they were waitlisted or denied admission for. We are so proud of these two bright young women and we hope to continue NTCC?s record for producing Jack Kent Cooke scholars,? Dr. Melissa Fulghum, NTCC Phi Theta Kappa Advisor, said.
Mendoza plans to transfer to Columbia University, where she will major in Mass Communications. She is the current President of Alpha Mu Chi, NTCC?s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. She is also an Honors Scholar in Honors Northeast, an officer in the Student Government Association (SGA) and Amigos Unidos and a staff writer for the Eagle student newspaper. She completed an internship for County Line Magazine over the summer. In addition to being a Jack Kent Cooke semifinalist, Mendoza was also recently named a Coca-Cola Leader of Promise and received the Dr. Jerry Wesson Award locally.
?I was so excited to learn that I am a semifinalist for the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. This is a life-changing program that could go a long way towards helping me achieve my goals,? Mendoza said. ?It would be a huge step towards helping me not only make sure I go to a great university, but also open doors to more internship opportunities that could help me in my long term goals to become Editor in Chief at Town and Country Magazine.?
Mott plans to pursue her Ph.D. in applied mathematics after graduating from NTCC. She is a member of Honors Northeast and is the first scholar in the history of NTCC to win a State of Texas Smallwood Award. Her pioneering essay on Japanese-Texan relations also won a second-place Caldwell Award. Reviewers have awarded her essay a spot in the 2017 edition of†Touchstone, published by the Texas State Historical Association. She was one of five members of Honors Northeast who presented at the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) in Seattle this fall. Mott is Vice President of Honors Northeast, Treasurer of Alpha Mu Chi, President of the NTCC Math Club and a member of Spanish Club.
?I wish to contribute a global perspective that initiates international change and produces self-sustaining solutions to modern issues such as sickness, poverty, or stagnation of innovation and innovators. Ultimately, I plan to work as a researcher at either a university or government facility,? Mott said.
Hall is a dual credit student from Chapel Hill ISD who will complete her associate?s degree from NTCC at the same time she graduates from NTCC. She is eligible for the Jack Kent Cooke prize as a high school senior because she is also classified as a sophomore at NTCC due to her enrollment as a dual credit student.
NTCC has had seven Jack Kent Cooke Scholars since 2010. Anjelica Fuentes, Jessica Velazquez, Kayleah Cumpian, Stephen Milburn, Matthew Jordan, Stephanie Calderon and Clara Ramirez all earned the scholarship in past years.
?Melody is a multi-talented scholar who continues to surprise us with her originality and audacity. Ryan has been a remarkable leader of both PTK and Honors. She is also a brilliant young writer. We are so pleased to learn how they are advancing in this national competition,? Dr. Andrew Yox, Director of Honors Northeast, said.
