Scholarship Semifinalist Shares Passion for Research and Engineering

Eight students from Georgia State University’s Perimeter College have been named semifinalists for the 2024 Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The Jack Kent Cooke award is a competitive scholarship for the nation’s top two-year college students. It provides recipients with up to $55,000 per year, placing the scholarship among the largest private awards in the country for community college transfer students. The semifinalists, all Perimeter Honors College students working toward their associate degrees, are among 459 individuals selected from more than 1,600 applicants attending 194 community colleges in 37 states, plus Washington, DC, and the Northern Mariana Islands The following is one of the student profiles

CLARKSTON, Ga— By the time she was a preteen, a career in engineering was already on Rakeb Tesfassellasie’s mind.

“I was inspired by my older sister who is in aerospace engineering at Georgia Tech,” she said.

Although Tesfassellasie wanted to follow the same path, she wasn’t sure aerospace was for her.

Her own affinity for the sciences—and early exposure to college through Perimeter’s dual enrollment program—helped form her idea of the right engineering program for her.

As a dual enrollment student, she learned about Perimeter’s Regents Engineering Pathway (REP) program. After graduating high school, she jumped at the chance to enroll in REP which gives students a guided curriculum to succeed as an engineering transfer student either to Georgia Tech or other four-year engineering programs across the state.

So, while her sister is looking at the stars, Tesfassellasie has decided to narrow her interest to industrial engineering.

“I am particularly eager to engage in research at Georgia Tech on sustainable supply chains and manufacturing processes,” she said.

An Honors student, she is working toward that goal through involvement in several STEM projects at the college. Recently, under the direction of Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) faculty advisor Dr. Janna Blum, Tesfassellasie worked with fellow Jack Kent Cooke semifinalist and biology student Shalom Ejiwunmi, along with Perimeter student Sophia Bereket to design a smaller Pap smear speculum, the instrument used to collect cervical cells for cancer detection. The trio submitted their design as part of the 2024 Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) and recently learned that their design was accepted for competition. They will travel to Washington, D.C. in June.

As a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Program scholar (LSAMP) scholar, Tesfassellasie also worked with biology professor Mark Graves and Diane LaHaise on researching building design and windows and their impact on migrating bird deaths. (Using dotted glass helps deter birds from smashing into the windows, she said.)  Tesfassellasie studied the window design of Alpharetta Campus for her project and is continuing her research outside of LSAMP.

Both projects have helped her realize that she is on the right path in engineering.

After graduation, she hopes to enroll in Georgia Tech’s dual bachelor/master’s program in industrial engineering and work in the environmental sector. The Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship would open more opportunities and help with finances, she said.

“With industrial engineering expertise, I’m eager to lead the way in incorporating eco-friendly practices and sustainable resources in various industries,” she said.

This summer, Tesfassellasie is traveling to Athens, Texas, on a three-month summer internship with Schneider Electric in logistics.  It will be the first time the 19-year-old has been away from family for an extended period.

“I want to challenge myself,’” she said.

She’s not worried about being homesick, though. She is looking forward to the experience—and will be packing a pair of cowboy boots as well, she said with a laugh.

Tesfassellasie credits the inviting atmosphere of Perimeter for helping her achieve her dreams.

“I really like Perimeter and am grateful for the experience I’ve had here. It’s such a supportive community.”

The Cooke Foundation will announce the scholarship winners this month.

Story by Rebecca Rakoczy

Photo by Bill Roa