Cranford, NJ – Katherine Jovel, a student at UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ, is one of 60 high-achieving community college students selected to receive the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The highly competitive national scholarship aims for Cooke Scholars to complete their undergraduate educations with as little debt as possible. The award, which is last dollar funding after all institutional aid, can provide Katherine with as much as $55,000 a year to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Jovel of Elizabeth is majoring in business. She is a member of the Iota Xi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the Union Honors Program, and the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF). She served as a tutor in the Academic Learning Center, participated in the 2025 Princeton Transfer Scholars Initiative cohort, and was selected for the 2026 Susan N. Wilson NEW Leadership New Jersey Program. Jovel plans to transfer to a four-year university to study economics and aspires to develop policy and educational support systems for marginalized communities. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she intends to pursue law school, with a focus on education or immigration law.
The Cooke Foundation is committed to expanding access to high-quality, debt-free pathways for high-achieving students with financial need. 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 aims to help more students persist and complete their degrees by reducing financial barriers and providing the academic and advising support needed to navigate the transfer process.
“These Scholars reflect the depth of talent and determination found in community colleges across the country,” said Giuseppe “Seppy” Basili, Chief Executive Officer of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “They’ve demonstrated what they’re capable of, and we’re proud to help ensure that financial barriers don’t prevent them from continuing their education and realizing their full potential.”
“The UCNJ community is proud of Katherine’s selection as a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholar. She has distinguished herself through her academic success, campus involvement, and dedication to helping others succeed. This opportunity will allow her to continue her education debt free while pursuing her passion for advocacy and public service. We are excited to see all that she will accomplish with this life-changing opportunity,” stated UCNJ’s President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.
Beyond financial support, Scholars receive personalized advising to guide their academic and professional journeys. They also gain access to a nationwide network of more than 3,400 Cooke Scholars and Alumni, along with opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school support, ensuring they have the tools needed to thrive beyond community college.
This year’s selection process drew more than 1,300 applications from community colleges across the country. The 60 new Scholars were selected from a semifinalist pool of 485 students. Applicants were evaluated based on academic achievement, perseverance, and leadership.
A complete list of the 2026 Cooke Transfer Scholar finalists and their respective community colleges can be found here. To learn more about the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, visit the website here.
ABOUT UCNJ
UCNJ is a public comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic programs and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to the Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research Lab. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 10 community colleges in the country as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more about UCNJ, visit www.ucc.edu.
