www.jackkentcookefoundation.org
Mission: The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is a private, independent foundation established in 2000 through the will of Mr. Jack Kent Cooke who left most of his considerable fortune to establish it. The mission of the Foundation is to identify and support young people of exceptional promise, and character who have financial need and demonstrated excellence in academic endeavors and extracurricular activities.
Jack Kent Cooke, biographical note: Born in 1912 in Ontario, Canada, Jack Kent Cooke was an entrepreneur who made several fortunes over the course of his life. Coming of age in the Depression, he was forced to work full-time to support his family and was unable to pursue his dream of a university education. Mr. Cooke worked as a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman, and then a radio station manager. He eventually became the partner of media executive Roy Thompson and together they operated radio stations and newspapers throughout Canada, earning Mr. Cooke his first fortune.
Mr. Cooke next ventured into the world of sports, becoming the highly successful owner of the minor league Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. In 1960, Mr. Cooke became an American citizen. In 1961, he purchased a minority interest in the Redskins football team, becoming majority owner in 1974 and sole owner in 1985. In 1965, he purchased the Lakers and built the team a new arena, The Foum, which opened to great acclaim. He also established the Los Angels Kings hockey team. In 1979 Mr. Cooke sold the Kings and the Lakers and purchased the Chrysler building in New York with part of the proceeds. Mr. Cooke had a life long commitment to learning and was knowledgeable in a wide array of fields, including architecture and literature. He was also possessed of an indomitable will to succeed. His Foundation reflects these values.
Graduate Scholarship Program: The Foundation will award 30 scholarships to outstanding students to begin graduate studies in the fall of 2008. Each award will cover a portion of educational expenses, including tuition, living expenses, and other required fees for the length of the approved graduate degree program, up to six years. The maximum award available per student is $50,000.00 per year. Scholars may use the scholarship to attend any accredited graduate school in the US or abroad.
Terms and Conditions: Scholars must pursue a full-time course of study in a graduate degree program at an approved accredited institution, beginning in fall 2008. Scholars must apply for federal and institutional financial assistance each year of study. The Foundation determines individual scholarship award after reviewing each recipient's other assistance offers. Recipients must attend the Jack Kent Cooke Scholars Weekend in the summer before receipt of the award with all expenses paid for by the Foundation.
Minimum Eligibility: A candidate must be nominated by his or her undergraduate institution and be a current student at an accredited US college or university with senior status by December 31, 2007 or be a recent graduate. Each institution may nominate up to two (2) candidates. A candidate must have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or better and plan to begin their first graduate degree program full-time in fall 2007. A candidate may not have been previously nominated for the Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Fellowship.
NOTE: The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, sex, age, physical of mental disability, sexual orientation, or national origin.
Application Instructions: By November 1, application materials are made available at the Foundation website. Students should submit the completed application materials to the Polytechnic Institute of NYU campus representative, Dr. Iraj Kalkhoran, Dean of Undergraduate Academics, room 216 Rogers Hall by Friday, February 15, 2008. Dr. Kalkhoran will submit the applications of the two nominations supported by the University to the Foundation by March 14, 2008.