Foundation Adopts Goals for 2014

Cook Family Foundation Posted on by

In order to identify potential partners and encourage collaborative grant making, the Foundation has adopted six goals for its work in the coming year.

  1. Encourage the highest level of academic success for our community’s young people;
  2. Expand the capacity of community-based nonprofits to more effectively carry out their missions and serve the residents of Shiawassee County;
  3. Foster the Shiawassee River as a source of pride for the community;
  4. Promote the arts and history as strong cultural cornerstones of the community:
  5. Help care for and protect the most vulnerable members of our community:
  6. Increase opportunities for community collaboration and engagement among and between local nonprofits, arts organizations, government, students, and citizens:

We encourage you to learn more about our interest and background in these areas by reading through our website; several of the pages relate to these goals. We also encourage you to contact us to discuss how we can work together to achieve these goals.  We invite grant applications that serve these goals.

Financial Aid Workshop: January 20

Cook Family Foundation Posted on by

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 [email protected]

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.

myth-one-mi-map

Bruce & Jackie Cook Scholarship Nominees

Cook Family Foundation Posted on by


B&J Scholars 2013-14

Twenty-seven of Shiawassee County’s most academically accomplished high school seniors 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 $2,000 scholarship to the University of Michigan from the Cook Family Foundation.  Click here for more information on our scholarship programs

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, Vanessa Kiefer; from Chesaning, Brody Cragg and Jared Weisenberger; from Corunna, Nathan Dennison, Anna Heidt, Stephanie Rasmussen, Lauren Ruess, and Kaila Watson; from Durand, Madeline Dietrich; from Laingsburg, Brandon Derke, Kirsten Johnson, and Sydney Rivard; from New Lothrop, Armon (Jake) Aznavorian and Nolan Wendling; from Ovid-Elsie, Logan Applebee, Hunter Charvat, and Alma Gingerich; from Owosso, Jordan Bannan, Caitlin Harrell, Janae Hurd, Geoffrey McClung, Olivia Pritchett, Samantha Traylor, and Madison Van Epps; and from Perry, Alexander Proudfoot, Cody Proudfoot, and Courtney Smith.

Past recipients of the Bruce and Jackie Cook Scholarship have included 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.