The University of the Virgin Islands is eligible to nominate up to two students to compete in the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation's national graduate scholarship competition. In June 2008, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation will award approximately 30 scholarships of up to $50,000 a year for up to six years to outstanding college seniors or recent graduates (since spring 2003) beginning their first graduate or professional degree programs in the fall of 2008.

The nomination process at UVI is coordinated by Dr. Utha Williams, interim executive director of Global and Graduate Education. Dr. Williams is the UVI faculty representative for the Cooke Foundation program and works in consultation with the UVI Scholarship Committee. A panel of national experts will assist the Cooke Foundation in the final selection of scholarship recipients. Thirty-four scholarships were awarded last year.

Program details, contact information, downloadable application materials, and nominee guidelines are available from the Foundation's website - www.jackkentcookefoundation.org. UVI faculty members and students can learn more about the nomination process from Dr. Williams at 693-1203. Details are also available by calling 1-800-498-6478. The on-campus deadline for submission of applications is Friday, Feb. 15, 2008.

The Foundation began awarding graduate scholarships in 2001. It receives approximately 1,000 applications for these scholarships each year. To date, it has awarded 320 scholarships totaling approximately $27 million.