Kingsborough Community College, CUNY, announced that engineering science major Urwa Faraz Malik is among 60 community college students selected for the 2026 Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship and will head to Cornell University.
The competitive award provides up to $55,000 annually for transfer to a four-year U.S. college or university, covering tuition and living expenses to support a debt-free bachelor’s degree. Recipients also receive advising and access to a national network of scholars and alumni.
Selection is based on academic achievement, financial need, leadership and perseverance. More than 1,300 students applied nationwide this year, with 485 advancing as semifinalists. Seven winners were from CUNY.
The Gravesend resident plans to study mechanical engineering at Cornell University, a goal she said became possible through the scholarship.
"Winning the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship means achieving my dream of studying mechanical engineering at Cornell University, an Ivy League school that would have been out of my financial reach without the transformative scholarship," Malik said in a statement.
Malik emigrated from Pakistan in 2024 and helped her family adjust to life in the United States while balancing full-time coursework and work responsibilities. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the CUNY Research Scholars Program and the Kingsborough honors program. She was also named valedictorian of the Class of 2026.
She learned she had been selected while attending a morning math class and briefly left to share the news with campus mentors before returning to her studies.
"I ran from my math class immediately to my work/study supervisor, Dr. Paula Risolo, associate director of the Health and STEM Advisement Center," said Malik. "I was literally shivering and crying because I was actually not expecting this to be. Then I went back to my math class and back to my studies."
She will participate in a 10-week research program at Cornell University studying hydrothermal environments and their implications for life beyond Earth. She hopes to pursue a career at NASA and design engineering systems that address real-world community needs.
Suri Duitch, president of Kingsborough Community College, said Malik’s achievement reflects both academic excellence and the support network behind her success.
"Urwa’s selection as a Jack Kent Cooke Scholar is a moment of great pride for Kingsborough,” said Duitch. “This award is a testament to her intellect, hard work, determination and perseverance. It is also the result of a committed network of faculty and staff deeply invested in helping students turn their ambitions into achievements. We look forward with great anticipation to all that Urwa will accomplish next.”
