Lone Star College student Humberto Leal Acosta was awarded the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Transfer Scholarship. The grant makes it possible for Acosta to complete his bachelor’s degree at a selective four-year college or university.

“Receiving the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is an incredible accomplishment,” said Dr. Stephen C. Head, LSC chancellor. “I congratulate Humberto and wish him the best as he continues his education.”

Acosta is one of 50 students nationwide who will receive up to $40,000 per year for up to three years to cover a substantial share of educational expenses including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees. Acosta will also receive all-inclusive educational advising from foundation staff to guide him through the processes of transitioning to a four-year school and preparing him for his career.

“Since I was little, I’ve dreamed about making new discoveries. I want to specialize in research to develop technology that improves human well-being,” said Acosta, LSC-CyFair and Honors College student. “Bioengineering is a relatively new field with many mysteries to uncover. So far, we have discovered ways to allow paraplegics to run, the blind see, the deaf hear and we can do so much more.”

Acosta is the fourth LSC-CyFair student to win this national undergraduate scholarship. Previous winners include Thanhphuong Le in 2012, Rey Laurencio in 2016 and Michael Aguilar in 2018. In all, 22 LSC students have been awarded the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship since 2012.

"We could not be more proud of Humberto for being selected as a recipient of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship,” said Dr. Seelpa Keshvala, LSC-CyFair president. “This achievement is a testament to his hard work and determination. We at Lone Star College-CyFair are thrilled to have been a part of his academic journey."

This year, Acosta led the LSC-CyFair C.R.A.T.E.R. (Cultivating, Retrieving, Analyzing and Testing Experimental Rocks) team to a first-place wins in the Top Design Team category at the Texas Space Grant Consortium Fall 2019 Design Challenge. In addition, his team placed first in three of the four categories in the Spring 2020 Design Challenge. The Texas Space Grant Consortium is funded through a NASA Training Grant.

“We know this is a very uncertain time for many students and their families. We remain deeply committed to supporting high-achieving community college students to ensure they have the resources to reach their full academic potential,” said Seppy Basili, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation executive director. “We are excited to welcome this new class of Cooke Transfer Scholars to our community and looking forward to seeing the many amazing things they do as they continue on their transfer journey.”

Nearly 1,500 students from 311 community colleges applied for the 2020 Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The Foundation evaluated each submission based on students’ academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, leadership, and service to others.

Scholars will also have the opportunity for internships, study abroad programs, and graduate school funding, as well as a connection to a thriving network of over 2,700 fellow Cooke Scholars and alumni.

Lone Star College student Humberto Leal Acosta was awarded the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship. Acosta will receive up to $40,000 per year for up to three years to cover a substantial share of educational expenses including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees.

About Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded over $200 million in scholarships to over 2,700 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive educational advising and other support services. The Foundation has also provided $110 million in grants to organizations that serve such students. www.jkcf.org.

About Lone Star College

Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 99,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of nearly $3 billion. LSC consists of seven colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.