Thu Phung, an honors student at Orange Coast College, 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 can provide Phung with as much as $55,000 a year to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Phung was announced as the 2024 Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholar during the College’s annual Honors Night ceremony on May 8.
“We are immensely proud of Thu Phung for being one of only 60 students selected nationwide to receive this prestigious transfer scholarship,” says OCC President Angelica Suarez. “Her dedication, intellect, and commitment to excellence serve as a testament to the quality of education and opportunities available at OCC.”
A Garden Grove resident, Phung began attending OCC in Fall 2021. Phung, a first-generation college student, juggles her schooling and many commitments to her local community, including being a Vietnamese language tutor at her church. She’s an active member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and the STEM and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) clubs at OCC, where she holds active leadership positions.
Phung's personal college experience has underscored the significance of mental health, prompting her to take a proactive role as the secretary of the NAMI Club. In this capacity, she co-hosts meetings to raise awareness about mental health maintenance among college students and provides resources for those in need of additional support. Recently, she got to design exclusive NAMI stickers for fundraising on OCC’s Coast Day.
Additionally, Phung currently serves as the vice president of the STEM Club. As vice president, Phung works with a board member team to plan weekly meetings with hands-on activities to foster a common ground for OCC students to connect and build their creativity. In addition to keeping track of the club's members and volunteers, Phung also contributes to planning the club's presentations during school's events, such as OCC's Science Night and Club Rush.
“Despite random feelings of impostor syndrome and self-doubts, I look forward to making meaningful contributions as an aspiring engineer,” says Thu Phung. “After getting an A on my first physics exam, I alleviated some of my doubts and my motivation for this career path strengthened as I took more STEM courses.”
A mathematics major with a 3.89 GPA, Phung plans to transfer to the University of California Los Angeles in Fall 2024 to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.
According to Community College Research Center research, transfer pathways from community colleges are a significant contributor to enrollment and diversity at four-year institutions. However, a lack of scholarship opportunities for transfer students, as well as other obstacles like losing credits during the transfer process, continue to keep bachelor’s degree completion rates low.
“Community college students remain far too underrepresented at our nation’s top institutions, despite clear research demonstrating their success once they arrive. Our scholarship is one way we aim to ensure that high-achieving students have the opportunity to complete their degree where they want, regardless of their financial background,” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Cooke Foundation.
In addition to the financial support, Cooke Transfer Scholars receive comprehensive educational advising - guidance that is crucial for navigating their transition to four-year colleges and planning their career paths. Cooke Scholars also benefit from access to internship opportunities, study abroad and graduate school funding, as well as a dynamic network of over 3,300 Cooke Scholars and alumni.
This year’s competition saw nearly 1,700 applications from over 380 community colleges. Applicants were evaluated on their academic prowess, financial need, persistence, community service, and leadership qualities.