Academics
Nine Wake Tech Grads Selected as NC State Goodnight Transfer Scholars
RALEIGH, N.C. (May 22, 2023) – Nine of Wake Tech's brightest are on their way to North Carolina State University as Goodnight Transfer Scholars.
The prestigious Goodnight Scholarship is valued at $23,000 per year for up to three years – a maximum of $69,000 – for transfer students from North Carolina community colleges.
Recipients of the scholarship participated in a thorough selection process over the recent Spring semester, which included an application and interview with a volunteer committee consisting of current and former N.C. State faculty, staff and alumni, as well as industry representatives from SAS Institute.
Wake Tech's Goodnight Transfer Scholars are:
- Swapnil Banerjee, Associate in Science, plans to study Biochemistry
- Michely Coimbra, Associate in Science, plans to major in Fisheries and Wildlife Science
- Alejandro Collazo-Lopez, Associate in Science and Associate in Engineering, plans to major in Computer Science
- Taj Hewitt, Associate in Science, plans to major in Biological and Agricultural Engineering Technology
- Landon Hollander, Associate in Science and Associate in Engineering, plans to study Aerospace Engineering
- Waleed Nasir, Associate in Engineering, plans to major in Computer Science
- August Puckett, Associate in Science, plans to major in Geology
- Isabela Rivera, Associate in Science, plans to study Biological Sciences
- Sandra Santillan, Associate in Science, Biological Sciences
Banerjee said he's humbled by his Goodnight selection and is excited about studying biochemistry at N.C. State.
"After receiving this scholarship, I am motivated to study hard at N.C. State," he said. "I want to repay the trust that the Goodnight Scholarship has shown in me by successfully achieving my bachelor's degree in Biochemistry. Coming from a middle-class family, I know the importance of having enough resources to succeed in life. I was concerned about how I would bear all the costs after transferring to N.C. State, and this scholarship came to me at the right time as a blessing."
Rivera said she hopes to become an orthopedic or cardiac surgeon in the future. "Words cannot express how honored and grateful I am to be selected as one of the Goodnight Scholars of the Transfer Class of 2026," she said. "This opportunity allows me to continue my education at N.C. State without any financial burden, along with forming connections and relationships with others in the Goodnight community."
The Wake Tech recipients demonstrated exceptional accomplishments during their community college career, including stellar academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, community engagement and an affinity for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.
The Goodnight Scholars Program was established in 2008 by N.C. State alumni Jim and Ann Goodnight to provide financial assistance to North Carolina students from low- and middle-income families who wish to pursue STEM education at N.C. State. In 2017, the scholarship expanded to include transfer students from North Carolina community colleges who planned to enroll at N.C. State in the fall after receiving an associate degree. Now the Goodnight Scholars Program is the largest full-time scholarship program at N.C. State, with 255 undergraduate students enrolled per year.
Since the program started in 2017, 46 Wake Tech students have been named Goodnight Transfer Scholars.
