Harper alum Aini Asim awarded coveted Jack Kent Cooke Foundation scholarship

Aini Asim was hanging out with her friends when she got the email – an unassuming message that would bring great news. Soon she was in her professor’s office, learning she had just received one of the most prestigious scholarships in the country, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.

The 19-year-old Harper College student was thrilled and surprised at the news, which came on the afternoon of the college’s Honors Convocation. When Professor Alicia Tomasian asked Aini if she was OK with Dr. Avis Proctor, Harper’s president, announcing the news at that evening’s event, she opted to surprise her parents as well.

“I decided not to tell my parents and just bring them so that would have a surprise,” Aini said with a smile. “They were absolutely overjoyed. They were happier than even I was.”

The highly competitive Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship provides up to $55,000 per year for high-achieving students transferring from community colleges to complete their bachelor’s degrees. Aini, who applied for the scholarship with the encouragement of Professor Tomasian, was one of only 90 students selected nationwide from more than 1,600 applicants.

“Now it has sunk in,” she said a few weeks after learning the scholarship news and just after graduating from Harper with an Associate in Science degree. “I’m incredibly grateful.”

A Schaumburg resident, Aini attended William Fremd High School before enrolling at Harper in 2023. She considered universities but ultimately chose Harper because it felt more manageable, was 10 minutes away from her home and was financially feasible.

Aini said she initially struggled to find her place at Harper, but soon became more comfortable with the support of instructors and fellow students. She also became more involved in campus clubs and activities, serving as treasurer of the Health Career & Pre-Med Club, participating in the Honors Program and joining the Harper chapter of Amnesty International. She pushed herself by auditioning for her first-ever play, the Harper College Theatre Ensemble’s Spring 2025 production of Gaslight, and earning a role alongside semi-professional actors.

“I was really shy in high school after moving here and I just felt like I didn’t put myself out there enough. This was my final semester at Harper and I really wanted to do something that would stay with me,” Aini said. “It was an amazing experience. I was among really experienced and talented people.”

While she was preparing for her role in Gaslight, Aini learned that she had become a semifinalist for the Cooke Scholarship, along with four of her fellow Harper students. She said she was proud to be in their company, because she is impressed by how hard they work, and didn’t expect to become a finalist.

Now that she has been awarded the scholarship, the newly minted Harper alum is preparing to continue her education by earning a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology. Aini has plans to subsequently enroll in medical school with her eyes set on a career as a general surgeon. 

In the fall, she’ll attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where her older sister Ermina (also a Harper alum) just earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science and math. In addition, Aini’s mother Asra has been a Harper student since 2024 and is working toward an Associate in Applied Science degree.

After a busy semester, Aini is taking a little time to relax before she begins her next chapter. She enjoys movies and spending time with her friends. Reflecting on her time and accomplishments at Harper, she encourages future students to take advantage of the college’s resources.

“Put yourself out there. It’s scary but ultimately rewarding. Harper has amazing resources for students. Try to dabble and see where you find your place,” Aini said, before pausing. “I don’t know where I heard this, but it goes, ‘More opportunities are lost from fear instead of failure.’ People catastrophize about what can go wrong. Don’t be afraid. Take the first step.”