A Hostos Community College student in the South Bronx has been awarded the highly competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, the school announced Wednesday.
Marco Alvarez, a 37-year-old honor student, will receive up to $55,000 per year to complete his bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution of his choice. The national award, given by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, supports high-achieving community college students with demonstrated financial need.
Alvarez persevered through adversity in life, but remains committed to completing his associate’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies of Human Behavior in Social Institutions and then continuing on to a university. The administration at Hostos community college celebrated Alvarez’s achievement in a statement.
“Marco’s story is a testament to the power of resilience and commitment to community service,” said Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis, President of Hostos Community College. “We are incredibly proud of him and excited to see the positive impact he will continue to make in the world.”
Originally from Mexico City, Alvarez moved to New York as an infant and by the time he was 9 had been moved into the foster care system in the Bronx. He eventually dropped out of high school and completed a GED. After stints at Borough of Manhattan Community College and Bronx Community College, Alvarez transferred to Hostos to pursue a wide range of scholarship opportunities offered by the college.
Alvarez shared his vision for starting his own non-profit to address inequity in his community, once he completes his education.
“I want to bring more selflessness into the world,” Alvarez said in a statement.
The scholarship adds to Alvarez’s growing list of academic honors, which includes being named a Kaplan Leadership Scholar and earning first place in the Eastern Sociological Society’s Undergraduate Poster Session in March. His award-winning presentation, titled “Shattered Bonds: A Historical and Sociological Analysis of Child Welfare in the United States,” explored the systemic issues within the nation’s child welfare system.
Through a comprehensive literature review and the integration of powerful personal narratives, Alvarez examined systemic inequities in the U.S. child welfare system—tracing their historical roots and ongoing effects on marginalized communities. Judges from the Eastern Sociological Society praised his work as the submission that best embodied the organization’s mission to address societal challenges through the application of social science.
Soon, Alvarez will go on to graduate with his associates degree and move on to a university where the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship will significantly reduce his financial burden, offer college planning assistance, individualized advising and networking opportunities.
