Cook Family Foundation

Twenty-nine of the most academically accomplished high school seniors from the Shiawassee County area recently made a trip to Ann Arbor. (See below for the full listing of all forty-four nominees, which includes those nominees unable to attend the trip.)

Forty-four of Shiawassee County region’s most academically accomplished high school seniors have been nominated for scholarships to the University of Michigan by the Cook Family Foundation.  One of these students will be selected to receive a four-year, full-tuition, scholarship from Bruce and Jacqueline Cook.

In order to assist them with their college selection, thirty-one of the nominees recently attended an overnight trip to the University of Michigan. There they had the opportunity to meet with admission officers, to take a tour of the campus and stadium, to hear a presentation from a professor, and to spend time with students from the Shiawassee County area presently enrolled at the University of Michigan.

“We want to make sure the leaders and the best among local high school students seriously consider the University of Michigan for the next level of education,” said Foundation President Bruce Cook.  “We are committed to the academic success of local students, and are committed to building partnerships with our public schools and our oldest public university.”

Each of the nominees will receive at least a $3,000 scholarship to the University of Michigan from the Cook Family Foundation.  The Cook Family Foundation annually provides a scholarship to any student from the greater Shiawassee region admitted to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.  

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: Olivia Chapman, Julia Slackta, Kelsea Strzelecki-Davis; from Chesaning: Hannah Cooper, Dominick Hernandez,, Breeanna Schlicker, Kathrine Shelton, Joshua Sicard, Emily Smith, and Eric Waswick; from Corunna:  Haley Kennedy, Isaiah Shook, Kaylee Siddens, Peyton TerMeer; from Durand:  Zachary David, Jillian Reddy, Hannah Sharkey, and Jaxon Smith; from Laingsburg:  Kathryn Magyar, Sydney Morrill, Casmir Palazzolo, and Ian Smith; from Morrice:  Payton Gutting, from New Lothrop:  Hayden Andres and Tyler Kohlmann; from Ovid-Elsie: Brooklyn Belill, Austin Darling, Ryan Gavenda, Breckin Kirby, Ella Powell, Austin Smith, Alexis Spitzley, and Gabrielle Steele; from Owosso:  Claire Agnew, Amanda Brainerd, Tanner Cummings, Abigail Dryer, Tyler Hufnagel, Liam McGraw, Marisa Rose, and John (Jay) Tuttle; and from Perry:  Cassidy Flick, Jonah Smith, and David Zheng.

This is the eighteenth year of the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook scholarship, which is funded entirely by its namesakes.  Past recipients of the Bruce and Jackie Cook Scholarship have included Dillan Morell from New Lothrop in 2022, Elizabeth Tolrud from Owosso in 2021, Mason Collard from Owosso and Kyah Ribble from Perry in 2020, Autumn Zwiernik from Laingsburg in 2019, Tyson Moore from Corunna in 2018, Elizabeth Hoornstra from Chesaning in 2017, Mitchell Lawrence from Byron in 2016, Nick Miller from Laingsburg in 2015, Nolan Wendling from New Lothrop in 2014, Emily Feuka from Perry in 2013, Sam Whaley from Perry in 2012, Adam Stewart from Laingsburg in 2011, Valerie Micol 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 from Owosso in 2006.

In addition to scholarships to help students attend the University of MIchigan in Ann Arbor, the Foundation recently announced The University of Michigan Shiawassee Advantage.  Now any graduating senior with a GPA of 3.5 or higher from any of the ten high schools in the greater Shiawassee region will receive a $3,000 Cook Family Foundation Scholarship if they enroll at any one of the three University of Michigan campuses (Ann Arbor, Dearborn or Flint).  Additionally, these students will then become eligible for many of the substantial U of M merit-based scholarships, as well as the full-tuition Go Blue Guarantee if they have demonstrated financial need.

For assistance applying to UM, or for more information on scholarships, contact the Foundation.

It’s that time of year, and a few Cook Family Foundation scholars have shared their recent graduation (and other) updates with us:

Daniel Frechtling – Dan graduated from medical school at Tulane University in the spring of 2022 AND has become engaged. He was a Perry High School graduate in 2007, and was the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook Scholarship winner. After earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology in 2011 from the University of Michigan, Dan served in the Peace Corps in Liberia for two years.  He then returned to Ann Arbor and gained a Masters in Public Health at UM’s School of Public Health in 2016.

Valarie (Foster) Micol – Val recently gave her dissertation defense in Clinical Psychology on the way to earning her PhD from the University of Michigan. As if that wasn’t enough, she recently got married. Her future plans include staying on at UM for a post-doc fellowship, which will be jointly with the medical school. Congratulations on all counts to the soon-to-be Dr. Micol, the new Mrs. Trever Hines!

Val attended Byron High School and was the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook Scholarship winner in 2010.  She graduated from UM in 2014 with a Bachelor’s of Art in Psychology, spent two years as full-time research staff at Michigan Medicine, and earned a Master’s Degree in Psychology in 2018.  

Jaiden Sowash – In early 2022 he earned a Masters of Finance at Temple University in Philadelphia.  Jaiden was a 2015 Owosso High School graduate with plans originally in the medical field.  He soon found an interest in economics and business, and transferred from UM’s School of Nursing to the School of Literature, Sciences and the Arts (LSA).  Jaiden later graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and also completed a Master of Management in the Ross Business School. He was also in one of the early cohorts of the Owosso Fellows, doing some top notch work for the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership. 

Sean Walser – This April the Michigan Legislature honored Sean with a special tribute for Exemplary Service.  Sean, who graduated from Owosso High School in 2009, was admitted to UM’s School of Engineering. He later transferred to LSA once he discovered a passion for politics and public service.  Sean made this discovery and transition while working for us here at the Cook Family Foundation as an intern.  On school breaks and summers he helped build our student database and improved our use of technology. We knew then he was going places, and he later confirmed it.  

He graduated with a Bachelor’s in Political Science in 2013 and began working for then State Representative, Jim Ananich, during his special election campaign for State Senate. In 2015, Senator Ananich was elevated to the position of Senate Minority Leader and Sean served as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff until April 2022.  He has recently taken on a new job in the nonprofit sector (hurrah!) as Director of Operations at the Michigan Environmental Council. 

The Cook Family Foundation is proud to have helped start these leaders and best on their higher-education pathways.  To learn more about our work to support talented youth from the Shiawassee County region, go to our scholarship page. We love it when we receive updates from our area’s scholars, so please send us news.