‘Students we serve are capable of great things’: Cooke Foundation provides funding for summer program
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation awarded a $200,000 grant to the College of Education’s Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute (GER²I) to support the general operations of the GER²I Summer Residential Program.
The two-year grant (2026–2028) will help sustain and enhance the overall quality and accessibility of the Summer Residential Program, which provides academically rigorous and enriching experiences for advanced learners from across the country and overseas.
Founded more than 40 years ago, GER²I’s Summer Residential Program has long been a cornerstone of Purdue’s commitment to talent development in gifted education. The program reflects the legacy of previous GER²I directors: John Feldhusen (who founded GER²I in 1978), Sidney Moon, and Marcia Gentry. Their work focused on expanding access to high-quality educational opportunities for all gifted and talented students.
Each summer, GER²I faculty, staff, and graduate students welcome 5th-12th-grade students to Purdue’s campus for immersive academic experiences that combine intellectual challenge with community-building and exploration.
Participants in the Summer Residential Program engage in advanced courses and social and extracurricular activities designed to support both intellectual growth and social-emotional development. The program also allows participants to experience life on a college campus for one to four weeks during the summer.
“Our program emphasizes both excellence and access,” said Nielsen Pereira, director of GER²I. “This grant supports our continued efforts to deliver transformative educational experiences through our summer programs while honoring the legacy of past directors Feldhusen, Moon, and Gentry.”
Approximately 30% of the students attending the GER²I Summer Residential Program receive scholarships or financial aid. The funding from the Cooke Foundation allows GER²I to continue providing opportunities to these students who might otherwise not have access to this experience.
“Another important aspect of this work is ongoing research on student outcomes and program effectiveness,” Pereira added. “These efforts align with GER²I’s mission to advance knowledge in gifted education and improve access to opportunities for gifted and talented learners.”
“At GER²I, we believe that ‘having opportunities promotes excellence,’ and we have seen this principle realized repeatedly,” said Kristen Seward, associate director of GER²I. “I am excited to continue advancing this work in ways that honor Dr. Gentry’s legacy.”
“In our youth programs, students are given a platform to develop their abilities and talents, and grow academically, socially, and emotionally,” said Alissa Cress, assistant director of GER²I. “The students we serve are capable of great things. We are excited to continue facilitating opportunities for them to showcase that capability and realize their potential.”
“We at GER²I and the Purdue College of Education are deeply grateful to the Cooke Foundation for its continued support,” said Phillip J. VanFossen, the Suzi and Dale Gallagher of Education at Purdue. “Their investment enables us to sustain and enhance a program that has made a meaningful difference in the lives of students for decades.”
About the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
The Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded $332 million in scholarships to nearly 3,900 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive educational advising, career counseling, and other support services. The Foundation has also provided $144 million in grants to organizations that serve such students.
Source: Nielsen Pereira