Farshid Azarvash

Farshid Azarvash recently received the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship—one of the most prestigious and competitive awards in the nation—granted to just 90 community college students across the country to finish their bachelor’s degrees at four-year institutions.

This year’s group had over 1,600 applicants nationwide. From a semifinalist pool of 467 students, only 90 were selected. The goal of the scholarship is to create debt-free pathways for high-achieving students with financial need.

Azarvash, a recent Triton College graduate, will attend the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) in the fall, where he plans to pursue a degree and career in computer science.

“This scholarship just confirms that I’m on the right path,” said Azarvash. “I was filled with joy knowing I received this honor.”

Azarvash was born in Iran and worked in the food industry for many years. With a dream to switch careers, he immigrated to the United States in search of a promising career and stability.

Upon arriving, Azarvash enrolled in English courses at Triton College. Fueled by an interest in technology, he began taking computer classes and joined the honors organization Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), which encouraged him to apply for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Award.

Determined to achieve his goals, Azarvash worked with Triton’s Transfer Center to identify a four-year university program that would best fit his academic and professional aspirations.

“The Transfer Center helped me apply to UIC,” he said. “From the moment I entered Triton, everyone was so helpful, friendly and professional,” he said.