Congratulations to Celine Ama, a Citrus College computer science major who has been named a semifinalist for the 2025 Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Celine is one of two Citrus College students selected for this honor from a highly competitive pool of over 1,500 applicants.

Awarded each year by The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, this prestigious scholarship recognizes the nation's top community college students who are seeking to pursue their bachelor's degrees at four-year colleges or universities. If named a finalist, Celine could receive as much as $55,000 per year for two to three years to help her reach her undergraduate goals.

"Seeing my name on the list was surreal. Being a semifinalist means the world to me. It feels like the first step in building my future from the ground up," Celine said. "This recognition reassures me that hard work truly pays off and gives me hope for what's ahead."

This same determination is what brought Celine to Citrus College. After graduating from Al-Amal Catholic School in Aleppo, Syria, in 2022, she immigrated to the United States. "When I moved here, my cousins recommended I consider enrolling in Citrus College because of its strong reputation," she said. "It turned out to be the perfect place to start my academic journey in the United States."

Having joined the Citrus College community during the spring 2023 semester, Celine describes the past two years as "an incredible experience." Whether it was the help of her academic counselor, Raul Sanchez, or valuable feedback from her favorite instructor, Areej Qasqas, Celine said she has received the guidance needed to excel academically. "Since I was still adjusting to the academic system here, their support made a huge difference," she said.

Celine has also been active on campus. She is part of a group of architecture student working on the second installment of Showers of Grace, a project that provides solar-powered mobile showers for those experiencing housing insecurity. "We meet weekly for hands-on construction, and seeing our progress come to life has been truly rewarding," she said.

On track to graduate this spring, Celine hopes to transfer to a four-year university in the fall. She has already been accepted to several CSU campuses and is currently waiting to hear back from UC institutions. Her ultimate goal is to pursue a career in technology. "I hope to work in tech in a way that helps others," she said. "I want to use technology as a tool for positive impact."

Even after she moves on, Celine said Citrus College will always be an important part of her story. "I've overcome 10 years of war and displacement, and I'm grateful to Citrus College for making me feel at home," she said. "The support I've received here has been life changing."

We are so glad you chose Citrus College, Celine! Congratulations on your accomplishments and good luck in the future!