27-02-2025
Luke Bowers named semifinalist for Cooke College Scholarship Program
Luke Bowers of Confluence, is one of 571 high school seniors named semifinalists for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Cooke College Scholarship Program.
The Cooke College Scholarship provides students with the opportunity to graduate with as little debt as possible. The award can provide as much as $55,000 per year to each awardee to pursue a bachelor's degree at any accredited undergraduate institution.
'I am truly honored to be named a semifinalist for the Cooke College Scholarship Program. This recognition inspires me to continue striving for excellence in my education and personal growth," Bowers said in an email. "I am thankful to the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation for believing in students like me and for their commitment to making college more accessible.
"I also want to express my gratitude to my family and friends for their unwavering encouragement and belief in my abilities. Their support has been instrumental in this achievement and throughout all of my successes. I look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead as I pursue my dreams and continue to strive to make a positive impact in the lives of others."
Cooke College Scholars are selected based on exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, leadership, and service to others. Students must be current high school seniors.
Bowers is the son of Kristy and Jared Bowers and attends Turkeyfoot Valley High School. He is a dual enrollment/early college student at Allegany College of Maryland, who has completed 40 college credits in three years and appeared on the college's dean and honors lists.
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This year's Cooke College Scholarship semifinalists represent an exceptional cohort, selected through an even more rigorous academic standard with a new minimum unweighted GPA requirement of 3.75, according to the press release.
'These students have shown remarkable dedication to their academic pursuits, and we're honored to recognize their achievements as we continue our mission of making college accessible to exceptional students with financial need,' said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Cooke Foundation, in the press release.
Bowers is the vice president of leadership for ACM's Omicron Pi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society and president of the Theatre Club. At Turkeyfoot, he is president of the Art Club, secretary of the Chess Club, member of the Class Council, past president and treasurer of the Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) Club, president of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Club, and president and past vice president of the student council. He participates in varsity cross country, varsity basketball and weight training, and is a letter award winner and varsity team captain.
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Bowers volunteers for a variety of organizations, including the Confluence Lions Club, the Confluence Senior Center where he helps to shovel the sidewalks and parking lot during the winter, hockey equipment manager, Kingwood I.O.O.F Lodge 1010, New Centerville Fire Department, New Centerville Farmers and Threshermen's Jubilee, and Mount Davis Challenge Bike Race.
Bowers is a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Junior Official. "I am a certified PIAA Junior Official for basketball, baseball and volleyball," he said.
He works contests in these respective fields throughout the year at schools across the western Pennsylvania region.
"I intend to pursue a double major in sports management and education, with a minor in theatre," Bowers said. "I am currently considering two options for schools: PennWest University at California or West Virginia University. My long-term goal is to pursue my passion for sports officiating by becoming a professional baseball umpire and/or a collegiate Division I basketball official."
Applications will be reviewed once more to choose the scholarship finalists. The 2025 Cooke College Scholarship recipients will be announced in late March.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Luke Bowers named semifinalist for Cooke College Scholarship Program
