The Cook Family Foundation held their annual University of Michigan Scholarship Recognition celebration on Tuesday, May 5th at the Lebowsky Center in Owosso. Approximately 130 family, friends, school representatives, past scholarship recipients, and other supporters attended the event to acknowledge the area’s best and brightest.

“Thirty-five students, from twelve high schools in the Shiawassee County area, are being recognized tonight for the scholarships they have earned to attend the University of Michigan,” said Cook Family Foundation Co-Executive Director, Tom Cook at the event. “Tonight, the scholarships awarded by the Foundation and the University of Michigan total over $431,500. With these awards, the Foundation will have helped more than 1,000 students attend the University of Michigan’s Flint, Dearborn, and Ann Arbor Campuses.”

From left to right are:
Tom Cook – Co-Executive Director of the Cook Family Foundation
Olivia Kovick – Recipient of the Donald Cook Scholarship
Madison Dennis – Recipient of the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook Scholarship
Tim McKay – Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, College of Literature, Science, & the Arts, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Continuing to highlight these outstanding students, Tom Cook also shared, “Of the students being celebrated tonight, seven are class valedictorians, one is a salutatorian, and most are among the top ten in their class. As a group, these students also represent class presidents, National Honor Society members, student council officers, team captains, and leaders of other student groups. Eleven students were recognized as Shiawassee Scholars in eighth grade. We are proud of their efforts and look forward to seeing what their futures hold.”

Madison Dennis of Durand was awarded the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook Scholarship, one of the highest accolades in the greater Shiawassee County region. This scholarship, endowed after the passing of Bruce and Jacqueline Cook, provides four years of undergraduate tuition to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, with a value exceeding $75,000.

Madison is the daughter of John and Jennifer Dennis and was the valedictorian of her class at Durand Area High School. In addition to her many AP classes, she participated in dual enrollment through both LCC and Mott Community Colleges and was on the “all A” honor roll all four years. She has been the president of the student government for all four years of high school and as well as the National Honor Society secretary for two years. Madison has also served as both copy editor and editor in chief of the yearbook. Her sports achievements include three years of varsity volleyball, MHSAA legacy program youth volleyball referee, club volleyball captain, and volunteer youth volleyball coach, as well as four years of varsity bowling and varsity tennis. She plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience at UM-Ann Arbor, followed by a PhD in the same field, with an ultimate goal of becoming a doctor and researcher in neurology.

In addition to Madison, the evening’s additional honorees received scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $20,000.

Olivia Kovick of Chesaning was recognized as the winner of the Donald Cook Scholarship, given in recognition of the Foundation’s original benefactor.This scholarship, endowed by the Cook Family Foundation, is awarded by the University of Michigan to a student attending the College of Literature, Science, & the Arts and is worth $20,000. Donald Cook was a 1924 graduate of the University of Michigan who established the Foundation with his wife Florence-etta in 1979.

Olivia was one of the top ten students in her class at Chesaning Union High School. She is the daughter of Jarod and Brandi Kovick. She earned highest honors all four years of high school while taking several AP classes and was a member of the National Honor Society and Key Club for two years each. Olivia was a cheerleader for three years and served as Varsity Cheer co-captain. Her career goal is to become a college professor, but is still exploring exactly which area of interest she’ll pursue.

Along with the two students mentioned above, other scholarship recipients included:

Attending UM-Ann Arbor – from Byron High School: Mason Davis; from Corunna High School: Gracie TerMeer; from Durand Area High School: Brayden Joslin, Chloe Munson, and Carver Purdy; from Laingsburg High School: Cody Cataline; from Morrice High School: Parker Mockeridge; from Ovid-Elsie High School: Arthur Carie (2022 Graduate) and Jackson Custer; from Owosso High School: Ellen DeLong, Danica Dwyer, Tyler Jurhs, Sarina Shannon, and Owen Skarich; and from Perry High School: Autumn Pavlica and Chandler Webb.

Attending UM-Flint – from Chesaning Union High School: Addison Ostrander; from Corunna High School: Addison Baker and Sophia Butcher (both UM-Flint Early College); from Durand Area High School: Gwendolyn Bell, Taylor Carlson, Bailey Martin, Benjamin Mrazik, Brock Randall (UM-Flint Early College), Kirra Shepard, Lorraine Smith, and Shelby Tanner (UM-Flint Early College); from Laingsburg High School: Liam Esch (UM-Flint Early College); from Linden High School: Brenden Johnson; from Morrice High School: James Baur; from New Lothrop High School: Stone Elkins; from Perry High School: Addyson Lampron; and from Springvale Christian School: Peter Kokkinakos.