Santa Fe College Student wins Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship
May 13, 2025
Lansdowne, VA (May 13, 2025) – Bryan Rowland, Spring 2025 graduate of Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fl., is one of 90 high-achieving community college students selected to receive the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The highly competitive national scholarship aims for Cooke Scholars to complete their undergraduate educations with as little debt as possible. The award, which is last dollar funding after all institutional aid, can provide Rowland, with as much as $55,000 a year to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Rowland, who just completed his Associate in Arts, will transfer to the University of Florida Honors Program to study Forest Resources and Conservation with a specialty in Wildfire Management.
After service as a U.S. Army Paratrooper, Rowland found himself without direction, until he began work fighting wildfires out west. With this newfound passion, he knew he needed to pursue an education “in order to best serve the people of my home coast.”
Friends in Florida encouraged him to enroll at Santa Fe College, so he packed up two duffel bags and made the drive from Montana to Gainesville, even living for a little while out of his car until he could get settled.
"Bryan’s remarkable story is one of determination, resilience, and an unstoppable mindset," said Santa Fe College President Dr. Paul Broadie II. "He embedded himself into the institution, engaged with our Veterans, served as a Student Ambassador, positioned himself as a leader across the college, and he excelled academically. He is truly deserving of this prestigious scholarship, and our institution is enriched because he chose to come to Santa Fe."
Rowland was crossing Oklahoma with a friend, on his way to Washington State to work as a firefighter over the summer, when he got the news.
“I was so excited. I was laughing and crying,” he said. “I know this is a life-changing opportunity and I am going to do everything I can to take advantage of it.”
Rowland already has his sights set on his next goal: earning a Master’s degree in Forestry from Yale University, which had the first Forestry program in the country. He plans to advance into incident command positions, leading critical firefighting efforts, while also expanding others’ understanding of forestry management.
The 2025 cohort marks one of the largest in the Foundation’s 25-year history, reinforcing its continued commitment to creating debt-free pathways to higher education for high-achieving students with financial need.
“This year’s cohort reflects the remarkable talent and determination thriving in community colleges nationwide,” said Giuseppe “Seppy” Basili, Executive Director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “As we mark 25 years of impact, we remain committed to amplifying the successes of these students and opening doors to the opportunities they deserve.”
While nearly 80% of community college students aspire to earn a bachelor’s degree, only 16% reach that goal within six years. The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which makes this goal more attainable for selected students, provides last-dollar funding of up to $55,000 per year for up to three years and eases the financial burden of completing a four-year degree. Beyond funding, Scholars receive personalized advising to guide their academic and professional journeys. Scholars also gain access to a nationwide network of more than 3,400 Cooke Scholars and Alumni, along with opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school support – ensuring they have every tool needed to thrive beyond community college.
This year’s selection process drew more than 1,600 applications from community colleges across the nation. The 90 new Scholars were selected from a semifinalist pool of 467 students. Applicants were evaluated based on their academic achievement, unmet financial need, persistence, and leadership qualities.
A complete list of the 2025 Cooke Transfer Scholar finalists and their respective community colleges is available here. To learn more about the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, visit the website here.
About The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded almost $304 million in scholarships to more than 3,400 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive educational advising, career pathway counseling and other support services. The Foundation has also provided $136 million in grants to organizations that serve such students.
