Cook Family Foundation

Thirty-two of Shiawassee County’s most academically accomplished high school seniors recently made a trip to Ann Arbor. All have been nominated for scholarships to the University of Michigan by the Cook Family Foundation. One of the students will be selected to receive a four-year, full-tuition scholarship from Bruce and Jacqueline Cook.

Each of the nominees will receive at least a $2,500 scholarship to the University of Michigan from the Cook Family Foundation. In addition to these nominees, the Cook Family Foundation provides a scholarship to every local student attending the University of Michigan. Read more about our scholarships (click here)

If they apply and are admitted to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, the following students will be considered for the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook scholarship: from Byron, Samuel Geiser (not pictured), Brianna Wells; from Chesaning, Jordyn Barta, Rachel Kelley, Jacob Sadilek, and Colton Vrable; from Corunna, Kyle Daley, Michael Newman, Larissa Robinson-Cooper, and Cassidy Schnepp; from Durand, Tristan Blackledge, Jonathon Fall, Nathan Johnson, and Lucas Schaefer; from Laingsburg, Kurt McEwan, Nicholas Miller, Sydney Schneider, Antonia Vrana, and Clayton Zimmerman; from Morrice, Lucas Crawford and Taylor Zachar; from New Lothrop, Olivia Bishop and Roen Wheeler; from Ovid-Elsie, Elizabeth Bisson and Gordon Johnson; from Owosso, Ryan Comrie, Thomas Horak, Joseph Jafri, Eric Locker, and Lucas Messmer; and from Perry, Amelia Feuka, Hannah Feuka, Miranda Lewis, and Hayley West.

Past recipients of the Bruce and Jackie Cook Scholarship have included Nolan Wendling from New Lothrop in 2014, Emily Feuka from Perry in 2013, Sam Whaley also from Perry in 2012, Adam Stewart from Laingsburg in 2011, Valerie Foster from Byron in 2010, Adam Dingens from Corunna in 2009, Randy Piper from Owosso in 2008, Dan Frechtling from Perry in 2007 and Kendra Frye of Owosso in 2006.

You can follow the Foundation’s scholarship efforts on Twitter @GoBlueGoBruce

Do you need a new perspective on our community?  Sometimes we think we know all that we need to know about Owosso and Shiawassee County, the issues we need to deal with, and the organizations and people we work with.  At the Cook Family Foundation, our view is often refreshed when we talk with the next generation, and we are fortunate that several of our programs brings us that opportunity.

On July 31, six Owosso Fellows will be offering us a new perspective on our community.  For the last several weeks, these college students have been working for local organizations, doing several service projects, and learning about small town life. On Thursday, July 31, from 4-8 p.m. at the Jordan Gallery (118 N. Washington St. in Owosso), they will share “Conversations on Community: A Visual Journey.”  This will be a personal and collective expression of their experiences in Shiawassee County, something they have captured by taking a photo a day during their time here.  The Fellows will be in the gallery in an open house format, so stop by anytime.

The Cook Family Foundation’s Owosso Fellows program (see more info here) has brought together three of our local scholarship recipients attending the University of Michigan together with three students from Yale University.  From Michigan they are: Christian Van Epps, who has been working for the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership; Courtney Crawford, promoting early childhood health through Great Start Shiawassee; Emma Tompkins, an intern at the Shiawassee Arts Council.  The Yale students are: Mary Shi, who is helping plan pedestrian and bike improvements for the City of Owosso; Chloe Larkin, promoting tennis and fitness through the Shiawassee Family Y;  and Spencer Klavan, who is directing “Robin Hood” with the Owosso Community Players.

For more information contact the Foundation office at 989-725-1621

The Cook Family Foundation recently recognized 25 students from the greater Shiawassee County area who are attending the University of Michigan this coming Fall.  All of them have been awarded scholarships from the Foundation, and several have received additional scholarships from the University.  In total, the scholarships awarded total $298,500.  In addition to these merit-based scholarships, many of these students are also receiving need-based financial aid.

Jackie and Bruce Cook present their scholarship to Nolan Wendling and his parents Lisa and Allan Wendling

The following students from nine local high schools have been awarded scholarships from the Cook Family Foundation.  Byron: Vanessa Kiefer; Chesaning: Jared Weisenberger;  Corunna: Nathan Dennison, Anthony Ferzo, Stephanie Rasmussen;  Durand: Madeline Dietrich, Tyler Lockhart; Laingsburg: Kirsten Johnson;  New Lothrop: Arman Jacob Aznavorian, Bryce Birchmeier, Taylor Krupp, Cody Symons, Nolan Wendling, Kyle White;  Ovid-Elsie: Logan Applebee, Hunter Charvat, Maureen Wiltsee;  Owosso: Jordan Bannan, Caitlin Harrell, David Hoffa, Janae Hurd, Geoffrey McClung, Madison Van Epps;  Perry: Alex Proudfoot, Taylor White

While all of these students are accomplished and at the top of their class, several students received special scholarships.  Nolan Wendling of New Lothrop received the Bruce & Jackie Cook Scholarship, a four-year full tuition scholarship to attend the UM Ross School of Business.  Kirsten Johnson of Laingsburg was awarded the Donald Cook Scholarship from UM’s College of Literature, Science and the Arts.  Jared Weisenberger of Chesaning was named one of the prestigious Shipman Scholars and will study mathematics at UM.  You can read more about the scholarships from the Cook Family Foundation (click here).

Tom Cook presents the Donald Cook Scholarship to Kirsten Johnson and her mother Brenda Johnson

The Cook Family Foundation’s spring newsletter just hit mailboxes (let us know if you want to be added to the mailing list) and is available on our website (click here).  The cover story is about our support for the International Baccalaureate program that is bringing the world, and a world of opportunity, to students of all ages in the Owosso Public Schools.  Inside the newsletter you will find our six goals for 2014, and our annual report where we recap of the grants we made in 2013.

If you haven’t had the chance, you may want to look around our recently updated website as well.  In our “About” section, you can find a video that gives the history of our founders, Don and Florence-etta Cook, as well as contact information.  Check out the “Nonprofit Capacity Building Program” section for details on upcoming education sessions, how to get support for local organizations, and to read our thoughts on collaborative efforts to improve the community.

The Cook Family Foundation is hosting a financial aid workshop on Monday, January 20, at 7 p.m. at the Baker College Welcome Center.  The presenter will be Mike Davis, from the Financial Aid Office of the University of Michigan.  While the workshop is directed to students interested in attending the University of Michigan, the information presented would be valuable to any student–and their parents–seeking financial assistance to attend college.  The workshop is open to anyone, but reservations are requested; please contact Yvette Collard at 989-725-1621 or yvette@cookfamilyfoundation.org

Attending any four year institution is an expensive undertaking, but the University of Michigan has made a commitment to provide substantial assistance to any student in the State of Michigan who has demonstrated financial need.  Grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships are all part of the financial aid package and can come from the federal government, private sources (like the Cook Family Foundation), and the University itself.  The process can be complex; this workshop will help demystify financial aid and provide clear direction on how to qualify for the most assistance from the University of Michigan.

Several myths and misconceptions exist about the cost of attending the University of Michigan.  Visit this site (click here) to learn more.