The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has selected Casa Grande Union High School’s Merlin D’souza as one of the 61 graduating high school seniors to receive the Cooke College Scholarship. The recipients, who represent 26 states, will receive up to $40,000 annually to cover costs associated with their undergraduate education as they go on to attend some of the nation’s top colleges and universities next fall. Cooke College Scholars will receive financial support, along with ongoing educational advising from Foundation staff and access to a network of over 2,800 active Scholars and Alumni. Scholars will also receive opportunities for internships, study abroad, and access to graduate school funding. This year’s recipients were chosen from a pool of more than 5,800 applicants residing in all 50 states and Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Marianas, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. The Foundation evaluated each submission and selected Scholars based on their academic ability, persistence, leadership, and financial need. Scholars will go on to study in fields such as Biological Science, Engineering, Computer Science, and Political Science. These 61 Scholars join the 43 current Cooke Young Scholars selected in February to continue to receive the organization’s support to form the 2021 cohort of 104 new College Scholars. A full list of the 2021 Cooke College Scholars, including the high schools and states they represent, can be found at www.jkcf.org.