Scholars in the Arts
"I am fascinated by the breadth of Art History and by how painting teaches a culture about itself."
Scholar in the News
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Yerin Jeon
“I learned about the Young Scholars program and wanted to be a part of that vision. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is the American Dream brought to life. My JKCF family taught me to not limit myself and my education with financial reasons.”
- Program: 2009 College Scholarship Recipient
- Resides: Gainesville, FL
- Hometown: Gainesville, FL
- Age: 19
- Four-year College or University: Princeton University
- Academic/Career Pursuits: Medical Practitioner, Sciences
- Other Interests: Church / Religious Organization, Health Care, Honor Society, Literature, Sports, Volunteer Work, Writing / Journalism
Biography
Highlights of Young Scholar Experience: Being selected as a Young Scholar in seventh grade “was the true beginning of my drive for excellence,” said Yerin “Stella” Jeon as she reflected back on her five years in the program that helped her to achieve “so much more than I could have imagined.” Summers during her high school days were spent participating in rigorous academic programs at Duke University (studying cryptology), Johns Hopkins University (neuroscience), and L’Academie de Paris (studying medicine as a major and “Paris and the Avant Garde” as a minor).
Profile: A high achiever in most everything she attempted, Stella was born in Daejeon, South Korea and came to the United States when she was in the fourth grade. When she began school in her new country she could not speak or understand English. Fast forward one decade and Stella became an honor student in high school, while also taking classes for two years at nearby University of Florida. The youngster who couldn’t read or write English eventually became the President of her school’s chapter of the National English Honor Society. When asked to provide a narrative of who she is and her strong points, Stella said: “I achieve because I will not settle for anything less than the best. I cannot settle for anything less than giving my all. I cannot settle for anything less than reaching for the highest branch.”
Inspiration: She has “so many teachers and mentors to thank” for leading her to where she is, embarking on her college career. But, in terms of influence, credit Stella’s mother for providing the motivation and support to succeed.
Making a Difference: During Stella’s junior year at Eastside High School in Gainesville she founded the Writer’s Club, which has grown beyond her initial expectations. Younger students joined and were enthused about creative writing exercises they wanted to try. Outside of the classroom, she was an active member of the youth group at her church.
Accolades: She is a National Merit Scholar and earned various academic honors in high school, including being elected president of the local chapter of the National English Honor Society. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society.
Interesting fact: She earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
Other Scholars Like Yerin
Miles Goldman
College Scholar
Brown University
Dorothy Fink
Graduate Scholar
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Valeria Dias
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
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Karina Hermawan
Undergraduate Transfer Scholar
University of California, Berkeley