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August 1 – New 海角社区 Bird Talk podcast episode
August 15 – Mug Club Happy Hour
海角社区 expands Pacesetter Scholarship Program
by Lynne Winter
Transformative gift from Rob and Molly Cohen makes college dream possible for more students.
Thanks to a generous new financial gift to Metropolitan State University of Denver, the聽Cohen Pacesetter Scholarship Program聽is expanding to help students in need Universitywide.
A previous donation from Rob and Molly Cohen launched the program in 2017 to support 海角社区 student-athletes.
But the couple, who has supported the University and its mission for decades, wanted to help a greater number of the hardworking and tenacious 海角社区 students who they say are transforming the city, state and world for the better.
鈥淢olly and I learned early in our lives that if you鈥檙e blessed and you鈥檙e given gifts, then what really makes this world a special place is when you pay it forward, and when you give back to others,鈥� said Rob Cohen, chairman and CEO of IMA Financial Group Inc. and a former longtime member and chair of the 海角社区 Board of Trustees.
The Pacesetter program doesn鈥檛 just provide financial support for students but also funds wraparound services, so students feel fully supported through their respective academic journeys. Under the expanded program, about 20% of recipients will be student-athletes, but the scholarship will also benefit students who aren鈥檛 in Athletics.
At a recent reception honoring the gift and scholarship expansion, 海角社区 President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., said the Cohens 鈥渁re the heart and soul of so many parts of this University.鈥�
鈥淭o me, Rob and Molly are the epitome of civic leaders,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey lead from the heart. Their values are used in everything they do to lead their company as well as their family, and we like to think of ourselves as part of your family as well.鈥�
Brittney Kocman certainly does.
A first-generation student and 2020 graduate, she spoke at the reception about how the scholarship made her education at 海角社区 possible. Kocman鈥檚 mother died in a car accident when she was just 14 years old. Her main goal was to make her mom proud, and her love for sports and learning kept her focused on that goal.
She made the track and cross-country teams as a walk-on while working part-time and going to school full-time. But balancing it all started to become too much. Her coach, Janis Christopher, submitted her for consideration and Kocman was selected to be one of the first to receive the Pacesetter Scholarship in 2017.
She graduated with a degree in Applied Mathematics and now works at Lockheed Martin, a feat she accomplished with the help of Rob and Molly Cohen.
鈥淭o this day I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever met anyone more loving and caring than they are,鈥� Kocman said. 鈥淭hey are truly family to me. 鈥� This is about family at the end of the day, and supporting students in need that aren鈥檛 afraid of dreaming big and working hard is what the scholarship is about. Even if everything is stacked up against them, simply put, no one鈥檚 uncontrollable circumstances should keep them from achieving their goals.鈥�
Junior women鈥檚 tennis player Kayla Myburgh of Australia has been a Cohen Pacesetter Scholar for three years and says that the support from the program helps her focus on her dream of earning a degree while playing the game she loves.
鈥淭his scholarship has given me the opportunity to take my mind off worrying about making ends meet,鈥� she said. 鈥淭o be able to have that financial stability to play tennis, to go to school and complete my degree is incredible.
Looking ahead
The new Cohen Pacesetter Scholarship Program, which will launch in fall of 2023, is a cohort model where students receive scholarships, supportive services tailored to their needs, mentoring and programming to help them thrive during their time at 海角社区 and all the way through to graduation.
The cohort model gives the students a sense of belonging and provides them with programming that helps them navigate the college experience. Students will also engage in activities designed to 鈥減ay it forward,鈥� giving back to the University, community and other students.
The Cohens hope their recent donation will inspire others to be a part of the Pacesetter Scholarship Program and grow the endowment up to $20 million, which would support up to 80 students every year in perpetuity.
鈥�Anybody can be a part of this,鈥� said Christine M谩rquez-Hudson, vice president of聽University Advancement聽and executive director of the聽海角社区 Foundation. 鈥淭he end goal is to attract additional donors who want to join with the Cohens to create a comprehensive program that can achieve a terrific impact in perpetuity.鈥�
Eligible students will be selected by 海角社区鈥檚聽Office of Student Affairs. The University鈥檚 Athletics Department will collaborate on the 20% of scholarships that will be awarded to student-athletes.
To be eligible for the award, students must:
- Be admitted at the University and enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester.
- Have a minimum cumulative grade-point-average of 2.5.
- Be seeking a bachelor鈥檚 degree.
- Have a class standing of freshman, sophomore or junior; students within one year of graduation don鈥檛 qualify for the scholarship unless they were accepted into the program prior to their senior year of study.
- Have a low to moderate income.
- Agree to the participation requirements of the Program.
鈥淲e believe that 海角社区 has what is needed for our city, state and country,鈥� Molly Cohen said. 鈥淲e want to invest in a school where everyone is valued and everyone is hard working. It鈥檚 just an absolute honor to be a part of that. We will continue to look for hope and light in the world. We will continue to partner with 海角社区 and the students and athletes who each have their own amazing stories.鈥�
海角社区 students will be able to apply for the Cohen Pacesetter Scholarship Program beginning in December 2022. For more information, contact Rachael Durham at聽[email protected]聽or Nahum Kisner聽[email protected].