Award recipients Armian Hanelli and Frank Estevao Maia with President Robert G. Templin Jr. Photo courtesy of NOVA.

Three NOVA students have been awarded Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarships. Armian Hanelli, Frank Estevao Maia and Amin Syed were among the 85 students nationally to receive the prestigious award. The scholarship provides up to $30,000 a year toward tuition, living expenses and required fees for the final two-to-three years needed to achieve a bachelor’s degree.

“These awards are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our student body here at NOVA,” said President Robert G. Templin,\ Jr. “Congratulations to Armian, Frank and Amin for this great recognition and for continuing a tradition that makes the entire College proud.”

Hanelli, Maia and Syed join a growing number of past scholarship recipients from NOVA. In the last eight years, NOVA has had 11 Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship recipients.

For Armian Hanelli, 20, of Crystal City, receiving the scholarship means he can focus solely on his studies once he begins classes this fall at Virginia Tech. In May, Hanelli will graduate from NOVA summa cum laude with an associate of science degree in electrical engineering. He plans to continue studying electrical engineering at Virginia Tech. “This scholarship changes everything,” he said.

Originally from Albania, Hanelli first came to the U.S. as an exchange student in 2010. He stayed about nine months before returning to Albania. In 2011, his family moved to the U.S. when his father was appointed to work at the Embassy of Albania in Washington, D.C.

Although he got accepted to several four-year colleges during his senior year of high school, he took his older sister’s advice and began his college studies at NOVA. His sister is a NOVA graduate. He is glad he made the decision because he has enjoyed his small classes and interacting with “amazing professors.”

He said coming to NOVA allowed him to get involved in various activities such as tutoring students, conducting research as part of the undergraduate physics research team and becoming a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Frank Estevao Maia, 28, was raised in South Africa. He came to NOVA two years ago and will graduate summa cum laude with an associate of science degree in business administration. He is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Templin recommended Maia for Georgetown University, his top choice for transfer, under the Preferred Consideration Program for Community Colleges. He plans to study finance and design programs that can alleviate the socioeconomic hardships found in communities. “Financial hardship hinders education,” Maia said. “I want to create an easier access to education.”

Tears ran down his face when he learned he had been selected as a Jack Kent Cooke Scholar. He said his life had been hard; his father passed away and left his mother alone to raise him and his four siblings. Earning his degree will prove to everyone who has helped him that it was worth their effort. He credits Rhonda Myers, coordinator of student success at the Alexandria campus where he started, with much of his success. Maia has held several jobs at the College and he is currently working at the Manassas campus as the evening administrator.

Amin Syed, 20, lives in Sterling with his family. He will graduate summa cum laude with an associate degree in science. After NOVA he plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology and go to medical school. He is currently studying to take the Medical College Admission Test in August.

Syed came to the U.S. from Pakistan with his family in 2006. He is a fraternal twin and also has two brothers and a sister. After his family settled in Sterling, Syed began taking English as a Second Language classes in Loudoun County Public Schools, where he graduated in the top two percent of his class.

Unsure of his path after high school, Syed enrolled at the Loudoun campus as a way to figure out whether he wanted to pursue college. NOVA’s lower tuition costs made it easier for him to make that decision.

As a NOVA student, he was active in the Honors Club and tutoring. Syed took advantage of tutoring and the process allowed him to learn from others while teaching students.

He said participating in extracurricular activities taught him valuable time management skills and he would encourage other students to get involved in the NOVA community.

By: NOVA College

Stay updated by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.