Brayan Gutierrez and Brianna Jarvis are not only making the grade as Lone Star College Cy-Fair Honors College students, they are two semifinalists, among 406 nationwide, for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer, a national $40,000 a year scholarship.
“We are so excited for Brayan and Brianna to have been chosen for such a competitive scholarship,” said LSC-CyFair President Dr. Seelpa Keshvala. “These very deserving students are the first in their families to attend college and will be graduating with highest honors in May. We are proud of what they have already achieved and know they have bright futures ahead of them.”
Gutierrez is an Honors College Chancellor’s Fellow Scholarship recipient graduating this May with plans to study chemical engineering at the University of Houston. Having overcome his own 2013 bone cancer diagnosis, he wants to become a pharmaceutical engineer.
“I want to contribute to cancer research so that no one, especially children, has to experience the mentally draining experience that comes with cancer,” he said.
Brianna is an LSC-CyFair Presidential Merit Scholars graduating this May with plans to pursue a mass communications degree at St. John’s University in New York. She hopes to have a career at the New York times, or somewhere with a documentary department.
“I want to work on stories about interesting cultures and histories or on shows pertaining to coming of age and young adults in minority communities,” she said.
Both semifinalists said receiving the JKC scholarship would allow them to transfer without the financial stress that typically comes with earning a degree and instead focus on classes to help make their career dreams a reality.
Both students also agree that LSC-CyFair will impact their continued success academically and professionally, citing the leadership and research experience, accessibility to resources, mentorship and networking opportunities, faculty encouragement and support of Honors College friends.
For information on LSC-CyFair’s Honors College program, go to LoneStar.edu/HonorsCollege.
For information on May Mini-mester and summer registration now underway, go to LoneStar.edu/regcyfair for information. For information on LSC spring open houses this April, with LSC-CyFair’s set for 4 p.m. April 15, go to LoneStar.edu/openhouse
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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 $222 million in scholarships to over 2,800 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive educational advising and other support services. The Foundation has also provided $115 million in grants to organizations that serve such students. www.jkcf.org.