Rinehart earns national Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship

After two false starts at higher education, Cortney Rinehart came to HFC, where she developed into an outstanding student.

“I really wanted to go back to college, but I was nervous,” said Rinehart. “I wanted to make sure I was truly ready after two other failed attempts. I heard good things about HFC. I figured starting off at a community college wouldn’t be as scary as going straight to a large and busy university. HFC’s size makes it a community where it’s easy to get to know the people around you. All the professors genuinely care and are willing to help you understand the material.”

Rinehart, now an HFC graduate, will continue her successful academic career at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor this fall, thanks to the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. She is the eighth HFC student to earn this prestigious, highly competitive national scholarship. More than 1,600 students apply across the nation each year, and about 90 scholarships are awarded.

“I never expected to be one of the selected scholars,” she confessed. “It was a shock. I am grateful to the Cooke Foundation. This means I can continue even further with my education and career goals.”

Honors, Dead Stars Society, and physics and astronomy

A native of Detroit, Rinehart is the eldest of four and an alumna of Woodhaven High School in Brownstown Charter Township. At HFC, she was a member of the Henry Ford II Honors Program and the Dead Stars Society.

“I felt very behind academically after six years out of school,” said Rinehart. “HFC challenged me to get better grades, so I could become an honors student and strive for higher-level courses. I became less afraid to fail.”

Rinehart earned her associate degree in science from HFC with a concentration in physics and astronomy. At U-M, she will major in physics and astrophysics.

“I don’t think I would have as many experiences and opportunities had I not attended HFC. I never would’ve thought that my astronomy professor, Jesse Mason, would offer me a research job. I never would’ve joined the Honors Program. Professor Mason wrote glowing letters of recommendation to the universities and scholarships I applied for, which greatly helped my chances of getting accepted into U-M and receiving the Cooke Scholarship. Jesse Mason was the best mentor and professor I’ve had. I hope I can go further at U-M due to his guidance and encouragement.”

Astronomy as a surprising pathway

The first class she took at HFC was Mason’s Descriptive Astronomy.

“Regardless of their major, I tell everyone to take astronomy. It was such a fun course! Take advantage of everything offered to by HFC: The Learning Lab, the library, professors’ office hours, networking with fellow students. There are so many opportunities offered here to help you get further in your educational journey,” explained Rinehart.

Mason recruited Rinehart into the DSS, his student research group. She eventually became the student leader of the DSS. In the summer of 2024, Rinehart was one of three DSS students to represent HFC at the Rubin Community Workshop 2024 in Menlo Park, CA.

“Because of my work with the DSS, I feel more like a professional. I am able to keep up with others on a professional level that I couldn’t before,” she said.

In July 2024, HFC hosted the inaugural Compact Objects in Michigan and Ontario, an annual astronomy conference. Rinehart presented and served as an ambassador at the conference.

“From presenting at the COMO conference to becoming the leader of the DSS, I’m very proud of all that Cortney has accomplished,” said fellow student Mariam Fawaz. “Watching her grow and succeed fills me with gratitude.”

“Tackling every project with determination, equanimity, and style”

A NASA Eclipse Ambassador, Rinehart and her significant other, HFC alumnus Anthony Preston, hosted drop-in information sessions about the Great North American Eclipse on April 8, 2024. For their efforts, they appeared on Channel 7 news.

"Cortney is one of the most versatile and nimble-minded students I've had the pleasure of working with,” said Mason. “No matter what I've thrown at her – planetarium operation, NASA Ambassadorship, 3-D design and printing, coding, conference presentation – she tackles every project with determination, equanimity, and style. She's already made meaningful contributions to science, and I look forward to following her career in astronomy."

HFC math instructor April Falardeau agreed.

“Cort was a pleasure to have in calculus,” said Falardeau. “She’s a hard-working student who dedicated a lot of time outside class to ensure that she understood the course concepts. Her persistence allowed her to overcome struggles and learn from the experience. I know she will accomplish whatever academic, professional, and personal goals she sets.”

“Nobody’s path is linear or the same as the person next to you”

Rinehart’s interest in astronomy was piqued in elementary school when her mother bought her a telescope.

“I would look at the stars and the moon on clear nights. By middle school, I would research black holes, nebulae, and supernovas,” she recalled. “I would then share this information with my mom. I always wanted to talk about these topics with others who shared the same interests. Feeling unfulfilled in my career in 2022, I made the decision to finally pursue what I had always dreamed of: earning degrees in astronomy and astrophysics. That was a big, momentous decision that pushed me to apply to HFC!”

Her career goal is to earn her doctorate and work for NASA. What fascinates her so much about astronomy is there will never be an end.

“There will always be more research to do, more things to learn, more experiments to perform,” said Rinehart. “Realizing that I would never run out of things to research and learn about in astrophysics only re-sparked the interest that I had once considered a hobby.”

Rinehart has some advice she wanted to give to young students -- especially women and girls -- thinking about pursuing a career in the sciences.

“I would advise young women or girls who have an interest in STEM to try – and to keep trying,” she said. “No matter how hard something is, if you really want it, nothing should hold you back from trying as hard as you can. Nobody’s path in life is linear or the same as the person next to you. As long as you stay true to your goals, you’ll get to a good place. Ultimately, being proud of yourself and your accomplishments, no matter how small, will take you far.”

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