- St. Catherine School Continues Father/Daughter Golf Tournament
On June 3, St. Catherine School in Morgan Hill held its first Father/Daughter Golf Tournament. Jim Wilson, a school parent and alumni of St. Catherine’s started the Girls Golf Program last year. It is offered to girls in grades fifth through eighth. Participating students and their families believe the program gives the students confidence in a sport usually dominated by males. The school is hoping to have other San Jose Catholic Diocese schools join the program.
- Local Student Earns Prestigious Leadership, Academic Graduate Scholarship
As thousands of young men and women across the country received their baccalaureate degrees this past spring, some began preparing for their next scholarly challenge. Included in that group are 34 remarkable students who will continue their education thanks to the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Program.
Amparo Cid of Morgan Hill is one of the recipients. The student completed undergraduate studies at Santa Clara University and plans to attend graduate school at the University of California, Davis.
 The recipients, chosen after a nationwide selection process that drew 977 nominees, were recently named.
The graduate scholarships cover tuition, room, board, fees, and books up to $300,000. The scholarships are the most generous academic awards offered in the United States.
Now in its sixth year, the Cooke graduate scholarship program has awarded more than 300 scholarships. Word about the program is getting around in the academic world, and it is now one of the most sought after graduate scholarships.
The exact amount and duration of the scholarships vary by student, based on the cost of attendance and length of the graduate program, as well as other scholarships or grants the student has received. The recipients will pursue graduate study in wide-ranging fields, including medicine, law, education, painting, international relations, and architecture, among others. The scholars include five pursuing degrees in the arts, reflecting one of the late Mr. Cooke’s passions.
Students attending any accredited college or university in the United States were eligible to apply. Each institution could nominate up to two students. Candidates then underwent a rigorous assessment at two stages by independent panels of academic experts, including graduate school deans, admissions counselors, and faculty. The selection criteria included academic achievement and financial need, as well as a will to succeed, leadership, and community involvement.
The students come from 20 states and 11 foreign nations. California led all states with eight scholars, followed by Maryland with three. The foreign scholars come from Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Honduras, India, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Korea, Pakistan, and Sudan.
The application deadline for the 2008 Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarships is March 14, 2008. Undergraduates or recent alumni interested in applying should contact their undergraduate institution’s faculty representative for details or visit the Foundation’s Web site: www.jackkentcookefoundation.org.
