RBC Students Selected For Competitive Programs
For Immediate Release: March 21, 2024
Contact: Jesse Vaughan, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer/jvaughan@rbc.edu
Richard Bland College of William & Mary (RBC) students Kylie McCoy and Michael Mason have been named semi-finalists for the competitive Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
Additionally, Mason and fellow RBC student Melia Grady were recently selected for the Howard University Center of Excellence (COE) Pre-Pharmacy Student Training & Education Pipeline 2-Pharm STEP 2 Program. For more than 20 years, COE has built a pipeline of notable BlackYou healthcare professionals and leaders who serve within the United States and abroad.
“Richard Bland College is dedicated to helping our students achieve greater heights,” said Dr. Ann Ifekwunigwe, Director of University College. “We’re extremely proud of Kylie, Melia, and Michael for their astounding achievements.”
Out of a pool of more than 1,600 applicants from around the country, McCoy and Mason were among the crop of semi-finalists selected for the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. For two to three years, finalists will receive up to $55,000 annually to complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited U.S. four-year undergraduate institution. The finalists will be announced in May.
Historically, only about a third of students starting in community colleges transfer to four-year schools and only 16% earn a bachelor’s degree within six years. This scholarship bridges the gap by providing crucial support for transfer students to overcome barriers and successfully attain their bachelor’s degrees.
“In light of the challenges that hinder many community college students from achieving their goal of earning a bachelor’s degree, our Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship makes the journey more achievable and helps to eliminate the threat of student debt,” stated Seppy Basili, Executive Director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “The exceptional pool of talent among this year’s chosen semifinalists from community colleges showcases the vast potential within these institutions and we look forward to learning more about these students during the final stage of our application review.”
Click here to see the full list of Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship semi-finalists.
