San Diego Miramar College student Dania Taki has been named a 2021 Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Semifinalist. This year’s semifinalists were chosen from a pool of over 1,500 applicants attending 398 community colleges in 44 states and the District of Columbia.
Taki is studying Biology at Miramar College and hopes to minor in anthropology after she transfers to a 4-year institution. Taki, a graduate of University City High School, is originally from Damascus, Syria. She came to the United States 4 years ago from Saudi Arabia.
Taki would like to attend Pomona College and pursue a career in medicine. As a physician, she would like to return to the Middle East and provide care for people who would otherwise not receive it.
“What fuels me and gives me purpose in life is uplifting my community,” said Taki. “I love advocacy work and volunteering at the hospital as a Pathmaker intern. Being a Pathmaker intern in the epicenter of the pandemic has been a skill-building and sobering experience. My experiences at the hospital and in the Middle-East empower me to be fully devoted to pursuing medicine, which constantly affirms and elevates my sense of purpose.”
Taki admits she faced several challenges during high school and it was not until she enrolled at Miramar College that she received the support in which to flourish. “Miramar has been my beacon of light-truly. It provided me with the greatest gifts of all: an incredible education, amazing professors and counselors, and much more.”
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly selective scholarship for the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities. Each Cooke Scholar has access to generous financial support for two to three years, college planning support, ongoing advising, and the opportunity to connect with the thriving community of fellow scholars. Scholars receive:
- Up to $40,000 per year to attend a four-year accredited undergraduate school.
- Ability to pursue any area of study.
- Personal advising about selecting a college and navigating financial aid.
- Multifaceted advising about how to transition to a four-year college and maximize the student experience.
Here is a list of all the semifinalists by institution press release here.
Selected scholars will be announced in late April.
