A Promise Fulfilled: SPSCC Student Khanh Pham Named 2025 Jack Kent Cooke Scholar

When South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) student Khanh Pham received the email from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation at 7 a.m., he thought he was dreaming.

“I had to re-read it three times,” Khanh said. “Then I called my friend to make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding something. I’m still trying to process it all, to be honest.”

The email confirmed what once felt impossible: Khanh had been named a 2025 Jack Kent Cooke (JKC) Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, one of only 90 students selected nationwide from over 1,600 applicants. The prestigious scholarship provides up to $55,000 per year for up to three years, enabling high-achieving community college students with financial need to complete their bachelor’s degrees at top four-year institutions.

For Khanh, the award is more than financial support. It’s the realization of a promise.

“I made a promise to my father, as leukemia was taking him from us,” Khanh shared. “As the eldest son of the Pham family, I would take care of my mother and younger brother, and I’d be successful and lift us out of poverty.”

After his father’s passing, Khanh’s mother made the courageous decision to leave everything behind in Vietnam and bring her sons to America. Since arriving in 2022, Khanh has poured his energy into his studies, his community, and his dream of using technology to make a difference.

“In my JKC application, I honestly just genuinely wrote about arriving in America with big dreams,” Khanh said. “I shared how watching my brother navigate our healthcare system with juvenile arthritis pushed me to create resources for other immigrant families facing similar challenges. I talked about using my computer science skills to build websites connecting communities.”

That vision led Khanh to create JIA Community, an online platform for patients and caregivers affected by Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. He also launched the Typhoon Yagi Campaign, connecting international donors with verified local organizations in Vietnam to support families impacted by the storm that caused extensive damage in Southeast Asia and South China in early September 2024.

At SPSCC, Khanh has become a pillar of student leadership. He works as an Office Assistant in the Transition Studies department, served as a Legislative Intern for the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and previously interned with the college’s Public Relations team as a Social Media Intern. He’s also Vice President of Scholarship for the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) chapter and co-founder and treasurer of the Leaders in Action student club at SPSCC.

“Coming to SPSCC as an immigrant in 2022, I never imagined this was possible for someone like me,” Khanh said. “From those first quarters where I was struggling to balance between classes and work, to now heading to UW with this full-ride scholarship — it’s honestly surreal to be recognized on a national level. So many people here saw something in me that I couldn’t see in myself.”

Khanh credits much of his growth to the support he found at SPSCC.

“My PTK family always pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and helped me discover leadership abilities I didn’t know I had,” he said. “The staff in Transition Studies became my second family, always behind me and supporting me on days when I doubted myself. SPSCC has given me a community that made me feel like I belonged, and I will always be grateful.”

SPSCC President Dr. Timothy Stokes praised Khanh’s achievement: “Khanh Pham exemplifies the spirit of resilience, academic excellence, and leadership that we nurture at SPSCC. We are incredibly proud of him and thrilled to see his hard work recognized on a national stage. This scholarship will open doors for his future, and we can’t wait to see all that he will accomplish.”

Khanh’s accolades include being named to the 2025 All-USA Academic Team, the All-Washington Academic Team, and Washington’s 2025 New Century Transfer Scholar. He plans to transfer to the University of Washington to pursue a degree in computer science, with a focus on human-centered computing and public service.

“I want to use the power of technology and data to transform how underserved communities access essential resources,” Khanh said. “Eventually, I hope to work in the public sector, developing data-driven systems that make government services more accessible to immigrant families and historically underserved communities.”

As he prepares to leave SPSCC, Khanh is committed to paying it forward.

“If any students have questions about scholarships or the application process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at kpham3@spscc.edu or our PTK chapter at ptk@spscc.edu.”