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Two ����ԭ�� students have been named semifinalists for the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, a highly competitive award supporting top community college students nationwide.

Two ����ԭ�� students have been named semifinalists for the highly competitive .

Luke Crocker and Scarleth Medina Del Rio are among 485 semifinalists selected by the for the scholarship which supports high-achieving community college students with financial need as they pursue bachelor’s degrees at four-year higher education institutions.

Crocker and Medina Del Rio were chosen from a pool of more than 1,300 applicants. This year’s semifinalists represent 224 community colleges across 37 states, including four semifinalists total from Oklahoma. According to the foundation, students are selected based on academic achievement, perseverance, and leadership.

The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship enables recipients to complete their bachelor’s degrees debt-free at any accredited four-year college or university in the U.S. The award provides last-dollar funding of up to $55,000 per year for two to three years. The 2026 Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholars will be announced in May.

A Focus on Science

Crocker is a graduate of Jenks High School and majors in Mechanical Engineering at ����ԭ��. He plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering.

“I love learning how the world works,” says Crocker. “Nuclear science has always been interesting to me. I think it has very strong energy prospects for the world in replacing fossil fuels.”

He says ����ԭ��’s affordability played a key role in his decision to enroll.

“One of my goals is to finish my degree with as little debt as possible, and going to ����ԭ�� was the best way for me to accomplish that,” says Crocker, adding he has not compromised on quality. “Most of the courses are equivalent to what they would be at a university level, and ����ԭ�� makes a really directed effort to have high-quality classes.”

Crocker is also gaining experience in the field through his job at Tactical Electronics, which provides specialty tools, training, and cameras for military and law enforcement agencies.

“I work alongside engineers every day, which gives me the chance to learn from them and build experience.”

Crocker is a member of ����ԭ��’s Honors Scholars Program and the organization’s student club, Motivated Scholars. He says the organizations have been especially impactful in his academic endeavors.

“The Honors Program is one of the most meaningful experiences I've had at ����ԭ��,” says Crocker. “It's full of students who are doing all sorts of wonderful things. I think the environment really drove me to succeed at ����ԭ��.”

He says the sense of community at ����ԭ�� has also made a lasting impact.

“I've always felt very welcomed and safe here. I feel like the people here want me to succeed, and they are willing to help me as much as they can,” he says. “I think that spirit of fostering success will follow me wherever I go. I'll find my communities and participate in them the same way that I have here.”

This summer, Crocker will participate in the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. He encourages other students to take advantage of opportunities available to them.

“Opportunities like the Cooke scholarship are accessible. It's just a matter of pursuing them. If someone is considering applying, I would tell them to do it regardless of what you think your academic profile is, regardless of any other thing,” says Crocker.

Driven by Purpose

Medina Del Rio, a graduate of Tulsa Honor Academy, is studying Psychology Pre-Law at ����ԭ�� and plans to become an attorney specializing in immigration law.

“I want to be a voice for people who do not have one,” she says.

Medina Del Rio is a first-generation college student and says her parents’ sacrifices have shaped her path.

“My parents have always worked so hard. When we lived in Arizona, my mom would stay up all night making tamales to sell,” she says. “We didn’t see much progress, so we moved to Tulsa. They’ve always told me to study because no one can take your education away from you.”

Medina Del Rio is a Tulsa Achieves and Oklahoma Promise scholarship recipient. She serves as the vice president of Phi Theta Kappa at ����ԭ�� and works in the Financial Aid Office through a work-study position, where she assists other students with scholarship applications and FAFSA.

She is also a TRIO Student Support Services participant and credits the program with helping her navigate the Cooke scholarship application process.

“TRIO really helped me understand what the scholarship is and how to apply,” she says. “It’s a complex process with a lot of materials and essays, but their workshops helped me get organized and feel prepared.”

Medina Del Rio recalls when she found out she was a semifinalist for the scholarship.

“I got the first message while I was at work, and I started jumping up and down. I thought, ‘I have hope.’ I told my coworkers and they were so excited for me,” she says. “My mom had the biggest reaction. She smiled and hugged me.”

Outside of ����ԭ��, Medina Del Rio has volunteered with Reading Partners, working with elementary students to improve literacy skills, including students for whom English is a second language.

Medina Del Rio says her experience applying for the Cooke Scholarship has shown her the importance of pursuing opportunities, even when the process feels uncertain or intimidating.

“Apply, because you never know what the future holds. I didn’t always feel like my story mattered, but it does. It matters more than you think. Your story can give someone else hope and encourage them to apply, too.”