Thirty-eight of the most academically accomplished high school seniors from all ten high schools in the Shiawassee County area recently made a trip to Ann Arbor. (See below for the full listing of all nominees.) Photo Credit: Michael D-L Jordan/David Lorne Photographic

It’s the beginning of the 2025-26 school year in the Shiawassee region and that means it’s also time for some area high school seniors to learn about becoming a Wolverine!

Fifty-six of the Shiawassee County region’s most academically accomplished high school seniors have been nominated for scholarships to the University of Michigan by the Cook Family Foundation. One of these students will be selected to receive a four-year, full-tuition scholarship from the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook Scholarship endowment administered by the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. 

In order to assist them with their college selection, 38 of the nominees recently attended an overnight trip to the University of Michigan. There they had the opportunity to meet with admission officers, take a tour of the campus and stadium, attend an actual U-M class, and spend time with students from the Shiawassee County area presently enrolled at the University of Michigan.

Nomiated Students got to tour the Michigan Stadium and see the Football locker room.

“This annual trip to Ann Arbor allows students to experience a first-hand look and feel of what life is like at the University of Michigan, and interact with current University students from their community,” said Foundation Co-Executive Director Tom Cook. “These students are the rising stars of our area. We are committed to encouraging them to consider U-M for the next step in their educational pursuits.”

Each of the nominees will receive at least a $5,000 scholarship to attend U-M Ann Arbor. In addition to the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook scholarship process, the Cook Family Foundation provides at least a $3,000 scholarship to any student from the greater Shiawassee region with a 3.5 GPA or higher who attends any of the three campuses of the University of Michigan (Flint, Dearborn, or Ann Arbor).  

One of the following students will be selected to receive the four-year, full-tuition scholarship as mentioned above: from Byron: Mason Davis and Molly Webster; from Chesaning: Haley Garno, Mallory Howell, and Olivia Kovick; from Corunna: Gabrielle Aldrich, Nolan Carr, Payton Chandler, Sarabdil Chauhan, Elizabeth Dettman, Mackenzie LeCureux, and Gracie TerMeer; from Durand: Hailey Betts, Madison Dennis, Carver Purdy, Brock Randall, and Brandon Watson; from Laingsburg: Hazel Burley, Cody Cataline, Izabella Latuszek, Evan Lefevre, and Evan Porubsky; from Morrice: Parker Mockeridge; from New Lothrop: Sean Dammann, Micah Kisser, Logan Lienau, Brenden Olsen, Laura Sharpe, and Aidan Wenzlick; from Ovid-Elsie: Selena Arbogast, Lilian Bates, Emmylou Blaha, Gavin Chadwick, Jackson Custer, Vance Jorae, Ava Juhas, McKenzie Keck, Lilliana Kennedy, Alyson Moore, Sarah Newman, Kailee Parker, Nolan Rasch, and Daniel Topping; from Owosso: Addison Bila, Ellen DeLong, Danica Dwyer, Lydia Golombisky, Caroline Harper, Liam Hathaway, Gabrielle Hufnagel, Tyler Jurhs, Andrew Palatka, Sarina Shannon, Owen Skarich, and Harrison Sydow; and from Perry: Chandler Webb.

This is the 21st year of the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook scholarship, which is funded entirely by its namesakes’ endowment.  Past recipients of the Bruce and Jackie Cook Scholarship have included:  Emily Rathka from Laingsburg in 2025, Quinn Skarich from Owosso in 2024, Emily Smith from Chesaning in 2023, Dillan Morell from New Lothrop in 2022, Elizabeth Tolrud from Owosso in 2021, Mason Collard from Owosso and Kyah Ribble from Perry in 2020, Autumn Zwiernik from Laingsburg in 2019, Tyson Moore from Corunna in 2018, Elizabeth Hoornstra from Chesaning in 2017, Mitchell Lawrence from Byron in 2016, Nick Miller from Laingsburg in 2015, Nolan Wendling from New Lothrop in 2014, Emily Feuka from Perry in 2013, Sam Whaley from Perry in 2012, Adam Stewart from Laingsburg in 2011, Valerie Micol 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 from Owosso in 2006.

For assistance applying to U-M, or for more information on scholarships available for U-M Flint, U-M Dearborn,  or U-M Ann Arbor, visit the Cook Family Foundation at www.cookfamilyfoundation.org.