San Diego Miramar College student Razi ElHusseini has won the prestigious Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
ElHusseini is one of just 60 community college students nationwide to receive the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship which helps students complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year institutions with a significantly reduced financial burden.
At 19, ElHusseiniz has overcome significant academic and personal barriers on his path toward becoming a physician-scientist. Born in San Diego, he moved to Dubai at age five before returning to the United States at the start of high school during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I struggled with the transition, the isolation, and the differences in the education system,” ElHusseiniz said. “By the end of high school, I felt completely disconnected from learning.”
After graduating early and briefly considering not going to college, he enrolled at Miramar College, to pursue Emergency Medical Technician training and the coursework required to transfer to UC Berkeley with the support of his mother. There, he rediscovered his passion for learning through peer faculty mentorship, campus resources, and the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS).
Now committed to UC Berkeley, to study molecular and cell biology, ElHusseiniz plans to pursue an MD-PhD focused on oncology research and equitable access to cancer treatment.
“My life goal is to contribute to research that gives patients hope,” he said. “I want to help expand treatment options, especially for underserved communities.”
The Cooke Scholarship will ease the financial burden of attending Berkeley, allowing ElHusseiniz to focus on research rather than paid employment.
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.
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship provides last dollar funding after all institutional aid and can provide as much as $55,000 per year to complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited undergraduate institution. 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 3,900 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 is available below. To learn more about the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, visit the website here.
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