Hudson County Community College Student, Abdellah Amrhar, Awarded Prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship
May 5, 2020
The Jersey City resident is one of just 50 students from across the nation chosen by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.
May 5, 2020, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College (HCCC) President Dr. Chris Reber announced that Abdellah Amrhar is one of just 50 students nationwide to be named a 2020 Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholar. The highly competitive national scholarship provides recipients up to $40,000 a year for up to three years to complete their bachelor’s degrees, and an opportunity for an additional $75,000 scholarship to pursue graduate studies.
A Jersey City resident, Mr. Amrhar is a Computer Science major and a member of Beta Alpha Phi, the HCCC chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. He will graduate in May. He intends to pursue a career as a computer science researcher, and is deciding on transferring to either Brown University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Swarthmore College or Yale University.
Mr. Amrhar is a Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) Career Preparation Fellow, NASA Community College Aerospace Scholar, America Needs You (ANY) Career Preparation Scholar, and an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow. In addition to his studies, the Morocco native works in the Office of Information Technology Services at the College, and volunteers with Hunger Free Bayonne, Friends of Liberty State Park, and Hackensack Riverkeeper, Inc.
“We are so proud of Abdellah and all he has accomplished,” Dr. Reber said. “His dedication to his academic achievement and his service to our community are truly inspirational. Everyone at Hudson County Community College joins me in congratulating him, and wishing him continuing health, happiness and success.”
“We know this is a very uncertain time for many students and their families. We remain deeply committed to supporting high-achieving community college students to ensure they have the resources to reach their full academic potential,” said Seppy Basili, Executive Director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “We are excited to welcome this new class of Cooke Transfer Scholars to our community and looking forward to seeing the many amazing things they do as they continue on their transfer journey.”
In addition to financial support, new Cooke Transfer Scholars will receive comprehensive educational advising from the Foundation to guide them through the process of transitioning to a four-year college and preparing for their careers. Scholars will further receive opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school funding, as well as connection to a thriving network of over 2,700 fellow Cooke Scholars and alumni.
Nearly 1,500 students from 311 community colleges applied for the 2020 Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The Foundation evaluated each submission based on students’ academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, leadership, and service to others. The recipients selected represent 17 different states and plan to enroll at the nation’s most selective colleges.