Oakton Grad Earns Prestigious Cooke Foundation Scholarship

(June 6, 2016) Recent Oakton Community College graduate Roxana Berinde of Morton Grove has been awarded the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, worth up to $40,000 a year to complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university.

“At first I didn’t want to come to a community college, but it proved to be the best choice for me,” said Berinde, a 2014 Niles West High School graduate. “Now, because of my experiences at Oakton, I was able to get this scholarship that will pay for the rest of my college education.”

Berinde, who plans to pursue a degree in international studies at Loyola University beginning this fall, was one of 75 community college students from a competitive nationwide pool this year. All of the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholars have financial need and strong records of academic achievement as shown by grades, leadership skills, awards, extraordinary service to others and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Berinde took advantage of the opportunities she was provided at Oakton, serving as co-president of the college’s Students for Social Justice organization and Phi Theta Kappa honor society and president of Reaching Out To Others in addition to graduating with honors.

“The Honors Program and all the honors professors were influential in my successes,” she said, specifically noting the influence of Oakton faculty members Thomas Bowen, Marian Staats, Richard Stacewicz, George Lungu and Hollace Graff on her academic growth.

Berinde also talked about the positive influence that Director of Student Life Ann Marie Barry had on her personal growth and as a leader.

“Getting involved in student life really impacted my experience here at Oakton,” she said, crediting Barry with fostering her involvement in student activities and introducing her to new leadership opportunities.

“Many elite colleges and universities are reluctant to admit large numbers of transfer students from community colleges, even when these students have excellent grades and other qualifications,” said Cooke Foundation Executive Director Harold O. Levy. “This is unfair and unwise. The Cooke Foundation’s Undergraduate Transfer Scholars have a long record of success at the most selective colleges and graduate schools, such as the Ivy League in the United States and the University of Oxford in Great Britain. These extraordinary young people have proven repeatedly and conclusively that top community college students have the ability to thrive in top four-year colleges. They deserve equal educational opportunity.”

Berinde was recognized at the May 24 meeting of the Board of Trustees of Oakton Community College not only for the scholarship, but also for being selected to the All-USA Community College Academic Team and a Coca-Cola Scholar.

“I’m just really glad I won’t have to take out student loans,” Berinde said humbly.

Cooke Scholarships fund the costs of attending college not covered by other financial aid, plus academic advising, stipends for internships, study abroad, and opportunities to network with other Cooke Scholars and alumni. In addition, after earning a bachelor’s degree, each Cooke Scholar will be eligible for a scholarship for graduate school worth up to $50,000 a year for up to four years.

“I’m really grateful to all the instructors, the faculty, the staff and the students I’ve met—along with my family—who have helped me along the way. Obviously, without them, I wouldn’t have been able to get this far,” Berinde said. “I’m really glad I came here.”