For a Second Year, Five CCP Students Selected as Jack Kent Cooke Semifinalists

Every year, select Community College of Philadelphia students are honored with the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, a highly selective, national program for community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities.

This year, we are proud to announce that once again, five students have qualified as semifinalists for this opportunity. That means that these students are in the running to receive generous financial support for two to three years, college planning support, ongoing advising, and the opportunity to connect with the greater community of Cooke scholars.

Join us to celebrate and congratulate these outstanding students. Learn more about each of them and their future plans below.

Daniel Emdin

Daniel is pursuing a degree in Chemistry at Community College of Philadelphia and is set to graduate in May of this year. During his time here, Daniel has received several scholarships, including the Catto Scholarship, Dr. Lynnette Hammond McNeal Award, the Cox-Shafter Chemistry Award, a PECO Scholarship for STEM Majors and is part of the All-PA Academic Team.

In addition to his studies, Daniel is also president of the Student Government Association and spends a lot of his extracurricular time volunteering and doing service work. He is also president of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and is current vice president and co-founder of CCP’s chapter of the American Chemical Society. Daniel is a Catto team captain and a student ambassador, as well as a member of the Center for Male Engagement. Daniel also works as a student researcher in the Biotech program at CCP. In addition to all these roles, Daniel finds time to volunteer with the Institute of Community Engagement and Civic Leadership and mentor with Project Career Launch Mentorship Program a project that pairs peer mentors with high school students on the autism spectrum to help them navigate through the college/university setting.

After graduating from the College, Daniel intends to enroll at a four-year institution to continue his studies in Chemistry, Public Health or both. “But the end goal is to become a physician policymaker,” Daniel said. “So, I plan to get an MD degree, doing an MD joint program with master of Public Health pathways.” Though he hasn’t officially decided where he will continue his education, Daniel has applied to schools like Thomas Jefferson University, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore, in addition to a few schools in other states as well.

Daniel said that he feels he’s made the most of his time here at CCP. “From my first semester, I made sure to really get to [acclimate] myself to my environment and my resources that's available to me,” he said. “From taking advantage of as many resources as I could since my first semester to now graduating this semester, I would say that it's really acted as an extremely strong foundation. That can help me even after I transfer to a four year or even after that.”

Khareba Rodgers

Khareba Rodgers is graduating from the Health Care Studies program this May. Her academic goals are driven by a deep desire to understand the human body and use that knowledge to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Ultimately, she plans to continue her studies in a specialized health care field, where she can apply both scientific knowledge and compassionate care to improve the well-being of others.

“I am passionate about helping others live healthier, more active lives,” she said. “What excites me most about this career path is the opportunity to be part of someone’s journey to recovery and better health.”

Khareba’s long-term vision includes working in a clinical setting where she can engage directly with patients, while also participating in community outreach programs that promote preventive care and wellness education.

Richard Rodovalho

Richard will be graduating from the Architecture program this year. He is excited to be continuing his education in Architecture at Columbia University and is interested in eventually pursuing a master’s degree in the field as well.

Longer term, Richard’s career goals are to combine his architectural knowledge and experience with real estate development. “I’m interested in working on bigger projects that actually make an impact, especially in communities that don’t always get that kind of investment,” he said.

Though Richard has been focused on working and attending school, he still finds time to coach youth MMA and jiu jitsu classes. “It’s taught me a lot about leadership, patience, and how to work with different personalities, especially helping younger kids build confidence,” Richard said.

For Richard, CCP has been an incredible steppingstone toward his career goals. “It gave me the chance to come back to school and take things seriously, and prove to myself that I could do it,” he said. “It helped me build a strong foundation academically, but also gave me the confidence to aim higher. Without CCP, I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in now, especially getting accepted into a school like Columbia.

Destiny Russell

Destiny Russell is a graduating Communication and Media Studies major and a Catto Scholar. In addition to being a Jack Kent Cooke semifinalist, Destiny has also received scholarship money for each semester that she has attended CCP, primarily from the W.W. Smith Charitable Trust Scholarship.

Outside of the classroom, Destiny is part of the Lions Media Network, and this semester has been working as an intern with CCPTV and Multimedia Services. And last semester, Destiny was involved with the production of a student podcast called “17th Take.” “And for the internship, I actually got a chance to go behind the scenes and actually be in a studio as an assistant, as a studio assistant,” Destiny said.

After graduation, Destiny plans to transfer either to Chestnut Hill College or Temple University to study Media Production. She is passionate about the entertainment industry, specifically music, and hopes to work in media and production and explore content creation. But, she said, she’s remaining flexible and open to whatever may come her way. “So, I'm pretty much just gonna give everything the benefit of the doubt...I don't know, I might end up in something completely different from what I set out to do,” she said. “So, I just leave room for that.”

For Destiny, one of the most important parts of her time here at CCP was the support she received from her professors. “They were all wonderful to me,” she said. “Even during the times, I didn't believe in myself they actually believed in me and that's what like pretty much pushed me towards where I am now, because they reached their hand out to me, and I basically took it, and I took a leap of faith.” Destiny said her professors were particularly helpful in getting her to the finish line even after changing her major halfway through.

Phoebe Tinsman

Phoebe is graduating this May with an associate degree in Biology. She has received scholarships and financial aid through the Catto program and other awards, which allowed her to focus on her studies during her time at CCP.

Phoebe works in the chemistry lab at Community College of Philadelphia and is a proud member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. She also participates in “It’s on Us,” raising awareness about domestic violence on campus and in her community. In addition to these responsibilities, Phoebe also serves in the Disability Club, all while balancing parenting, and a full course load.

“My goal is to transfer to Drexel University, earn a master’s degree in Epidemiology and work in public health for the city of Philadelphia,” Phoebe said. “With my lived experience, academic dedication and unshakable determination, I am committed to using my story to inspire hope and create change for underserved communities.”