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June 18, 2025
PCC Student Named 2025 Cooke Foundation Scholar
Awarded $55,000
Scholarship to Attend
NYU This Fall
When your family cries tears of joy,
you know it’s a big deal. Portland Com-
munity College’s Diego Lobato has
been named a 2025 Jack Kent Cooke
Foundation Undergraduate Transfer
Scholar, joining a cohort of 90 stu-
dents nationwide recognized for their
academic achievement, leadership, and
perseverance. It's the fifth time in the
past 20 years that a student from PCC
has earned the honor.
The Undergraduate Transfer Schol-
arship is one of the most competitive
and generous in the nation, designed
to support high-achieving commu-
nity college students with financial
need. Each recipient is awarded up to
$55,000 annually to complete their
bachelor's degree, with support cover-
ing tuition, living expenses, books, and
required fees. Scholars also receive ex-
tensive educational and career advis-
ing, access to internships, and funding
for graduate studies.
“Earning a Jack Kent Cooke schol-
arship means the world to me,” said
Lobato. “It eases my financial worries
tremendously and affirms that I am on
Black
Headed to New York University this fall, Diego Lobato has been named a 2025
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, earning $55,000 to
pursue his degrees
the right path. I called my mom the
moment I found out – she cried.”
Originally from Chula Vista, Cali-
fornia, Lobato is a nontraditional stu-
dent who was raised in a single-par-
ent Hispanic household in San Diego.
Now living in downtown Portland,
he is completing his Oregon Transfer
degree with a science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM) focus,
centered on mathematics and com-
puter science.
Lobato will be attending New York
University in the fall, where he plans
Health
to pursue a joint bachelor’s degree in
Economics and Computer Science.
His long-term goal is to build a tech-
nology business focused on creating
large-scale positive social change.
“PCC has been instrumental in my
journey, and I could not have done
this alone,” Lobato said. “I’ve been
fortunate to build an amazing support
system that has propelled me toward
my goals.”
He also expressed gratitude to fac-
ulty and mentors who played a key
role in his success.
Matters
North by Northeast Community Health Center is the only clinic in Oregon
devoted to African American health. We provide welcoming, high quality
health care to adults who have Oregon Health Plan. Since 2006, our priority
has been to serve the local African American community and to reduce the
deadly effects of high blood pressure and diabetes. We are accepting new
patients, and if you’re uninsured, we can help you get covered!
To make an appointment or learn
about our services, contact us:
www.nxneclinic.org
(503) 287-4932
714 NE Alberta Street
Portland, Oregon 97211
“PCC offers outstanding resourc-
es which I was able to use to build
a strong transfer application — it’s
an incredible institution,” he added.
“PCC has forever changed the trajec-
tory of my life and made my dream of
higher education a reality.”
It is one of the largest groups of
scholars in the Foundation’s 25-year
history, with more than 1,600 ap-
plicants from community colleges
across the country. The 90 scholars
were selected from a semifinalist
pool of 467 students based on aca-
demic excellence, leadership, per-
sistence and unmet financial need.
“This year’s cohort reflects the re-
markable talent and determination
thriving in community colleges na-
tionwide,” said Giuseppe ‘Seppy’
Basili, executive director of the Jack
Kent Cooke Foundation. “As we mark
25 years of impact, we remain com-
mitted to amplifying the successes of
these students and opening doors to
the opportunities they deserve.”
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
has invested nearly $304 million in
scholarships and $136 million in
grants since 2000, dedicated to ad-
vancing the education of exceptional
students with financial need. For more
information, visit www.jkcf.org.