SF graduate earns prestigious Cooke Foundation scholarship
July 7, 2026
Santa Fe College graduate Lucilida “Luci” Hodge is among only 60 community college students across the United States be awarded a prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
Hodge plans to transfer to the University of Florida to complete her bachelor’s degree and plans to enroll in law school.
This year’s selection process drew more than 1,300 applications from community colleges across the country. The 60
new Scholars were selected from a semifinalist pool of 485 students. Applicants were evaluated based on academic achievement, perseverance, and leadership.
Hodge said that as she entered her sophomore year at SF, she set three goals for herself: Be inducted into the SF Hall of Fame, graduate with highest honors, and earn a major scholarship.
Earning her Associate of Arts with High Distinction and as one of only 12 students inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame class, Hodge had reached two of her goals.
Then on May 12, 2026, two days before her birthday, she learned she had accomplished the third.
“I had been feeling anxious about the scholarship process because I wasn’t sure I would win,” she said. “Learning that I had been selected instantly relieved all the anxiety and stress I had been carrying about the scholarship and my future financial decisions for college.”
Hodge, who was accepted to multiple universities, said she choose to UF, in part, to help build on the strong foundation she has built in Gainesville.
She said the scholarship “will provide me with academic financial stability and help me advance in my career by giving me opportunities to network with professionals in my desired field.”
As an attorney, she plans to focus on public service “to give back to underprivileged communities while also focusing on supporting youth development.”
Hodge said when she set her three goals for the academic year, they felt far from reachable, until she enrolled in a Mass Media course taught by Thomas Maple, and become part of the Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Partnership (ICDP). ICPD supports eight Student Fellows from each of five partnering institutions. Student engage in bi-monthly virtual workshops “to engage and facilitate conversation across the difference.”
“I had the opportunity to collaborate with students from Harvard, Stanford, California State Bakersfield, DePauw University, and St. Phillip’s College.
“That experience changed how I saw myself,” she said. “For the first time, I realized I was capable of more than I had imagined.”
Hodge not only excelled in the classroom but she also embraced the Santa Fe College experience, participating in Model UN, Pre-Law and Debate, and serving as a League of Women Voters Student Senator.
Maple said, “It is rare that a talent of Luci’s caliber gets dug in at our institution and is able to create so many opportunities for others, but Luci is a leader who knows that an organization is only as strong as its weakest link. Luci is a great peer leader, someone with an incredibly high emotional intelligence level to supplement her high IQ.”
Maple said Hodge’s experience with ICDP, led her to re-establish the Debate Program. She also worked closely Maple to plan and fund a trip to Washington D.C. for nine students in the Spring semester.
“It was the most ambitious academic team trip that I have ever led, and it went off without a hitch, thanks in large part to Luci’s leadership.” She even used her connections with the League of Women Voters to get the group a tour of the U.S. Capitol.
Reflecting on her time at SF, Hodge said: “Santa Fe College changed the trajectory of my life, and I am endlessly grateful to every professor, mentor, friend and community that believed in me along the way.”
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship provides last dollar funding after all institutional aid and can provide as much as $55,000 per year to complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited undergraduate institution. Beyond financial support, Scholars receive personalized advising to guide their academic and professional journeys. They also gain access to a nationwide network of more than 3,900 Cooke Scholars and Alumni, along with opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school support, ensuring they have the tools needed to thrive beyond community college.
This year’s selection process drew more than 1,300 applications from community colleges across the country. The 60 new Scholars were selected from a semifinalist pool of 485 students. Applicants were evaluated based on academic achievement, perseverance, and leadership.
Hodge is Santa Fe College’s fourth Cooke Scholar and the second in a row. Previous awards were granted to Bryan Rowland, 2025, Charly Guitierrez-Jimenez, 2021, and Francisco Laurenco, 2018.
