Eliette Bustos Barocio this fall transferred from Los Medanos College to UC Berkeley, focused on becoming a veterinarian.
What she isn’t focused on is how much it costs or how she will pay.
Bustos Barocio graduated in spring 2023, having won the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which provides up to $55,000 per year for up to three years.
“I feel relieved and proud,” Bustos Barocio said. “It’s hard economically to make it, and now that I have this scholarship, I can really focus on my goals. Otherwise, it would really drag my mind off academics if I had to keep worrying about how to pay for everything.”
From left to right: Scott Cabral, Astronomy Professor, Mindy Capes, Chemistry Professor, Eliette Bustos Barocio, Dennis Gravert, Chemistry Professor, Girlie Sison, Chemistry Professor, Pamela Ralsoton, LMC President.
Bustos Barocio is the fourth student from LMC to receive the prestigious scholarship, and the second in her family. Her older sister, Sonia, received the award in 2018.
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly selective scholarship for the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities. Each Cooke Scholar receives financial support for two to three years, college planning support, and the opportunity to connect with fellow scholars.
The college helped nine other students compete for and receive Kennedy-King Scholarships, which provide $6,000 per year for two years to students transferring to four-year institutions. Los Medanos College Foundation also awarded 102 scholarships totaling $68,775. Of those, 26 were Transfer Academy Scholarships.
“When our students win scholarships like these, it means we are doing right by our students” said Nicole Trager, interim dean of instruction, math and sciences. She attributed Busto Barocio’s success to in part to LMC’s focus on Learning Communities and wrap-around services that support students in and outside the classroom.
Bustos Barocio agreed, adding that inspirational professors and her involvement in MESA, Puente Club, Honors Transfer Program, EOPS, Women in STEM and Latinx Club kept her on track.
“I would tell anyone who wants to apply for a scholarship to stay motivated,” she said. “On days I felt low, or I got a bad score, I reminded myself of the end goal and got up and tried again. I was surrounded by hardworking people, and I’ve kept the mentality to work harder, make changes and find ways to be better.”
LMC Scholarship Opportunities
LMC Foundation offers more than 30 scholarship opportunities for LMC student with a GPA of 2.0. Interested students must submit a completed LMC Foundation General Scholarship Application and provide two references. Additional criteria for scholarship opportunities vary based on a student’s GPA, educational major, career major, community service, and financial need. Applicants must meet the criteria for each scholarship for consideration.
For a full list of opportunities and details, visit losmedanos.academicworks.com/opportunities.
External Scholarship Opportunities
Individual donors, businesses, organizations, and foundations offer external scholarships. These opportunities are not associated with the LMC Foundation Scholarships and students will need to complete a separate application. Please note: Applying for a scholarship from a reputable source is always free. If you are being asked to pay money or provide information you are not comfortable with, it is highly recommended that you do not apply and verify the authenticity of the organization.
To learn more about these scholarships, visit losmedanos.academicworks.com/opportunities/external.
