Graduate Eager to Give Back to Other Rural Students 

Dillon Cook has soaked up every bit of the Alabama experience while at the Capstone. But he didn’t do that just so he’d have the best college experience possible — he wants to make sure incoming students like him have it, too.

Cook, who graduates in May, is from Ider, a small community in Dekalb County, Alabama. Growing up in a rural area with limited resources, Cook always knew college was in his future. The University of Alabama showed him how he could forge a path for himself, and in doing just that, he found a passion to help other students do the same.

Passion and Purpose 

“I was originally an education major until the fall of junior year. I loved the kids but realized the classroom was not for me,” he said. “My goal became to advocate for the accessibility of education.”

Cook is a triple major — communications, human environmental sciences and criminal justice. He is also a triple minor in women’s studies, global cultural perspectives and public policy.

This variety of coursework is not by accident. Cook intends to become a high school counselor who can help students from all backgrounds see that a four-year college opportunity is achievable. 

“One of the earliest obstacles I had was not quite understanding ‘how to do college,’” Cook said. “I’m the first person in my family to go to a four-year university, so I had to learn that on my own.”

Learning How to Lead Others 

The Blackburn Institute student immersed himself in everything UA had to offer to figure out how to make the most out of his college experience and grow as a student and a person. Those experiences not only shaped him but also showed him how to do that for others.

“Involvement really helped me overcome the obstacle of feeling left out pretty quickly,” he said. “Camp 1831 was my stepping stone to making me realize I could be successful. It made me see I am not alone in this.” 

I’ve always been outgoing, but UA has helped me cultivate what I’m passionate about and go and get it.

Cook has worked seven jobs on campus and been involved in 36 student organizations. He has taken over 20 credit hours each semester, and this semester he is also enrolled at Northeast Community College for 12 hours. This summer he will attend both UA and the University of Georgia, working toward master’s degrees in communications and school counseling, respectively.

“I really want to advocate for educational accessibility,” he said. “A school guidance counselor plays a large role in showing students their options, whether that is college or a trade. They are advocating that a student can be successful in whatever they want to do.

“I see myself being in a rural area to advocate for students who were in similar situations to me,” Cook added. “Ider is very special to me, and I want to pour back into my community.”

Paying it Forward 

Cook believes all of this is possible because he chose The University of Alabama.

But in some ways, UA chose him.

“My regional scholarship coordinator, Kristy Hammond, brought to my attention how affordable UA could be,” he said. “Kristy texted me personally to let me know my merit scholarship was in and texted me again when I updated about another scholarship. She kept checking in on me.”

Hammond encouraged Cook to become a student admissions ambassador. They went back to Dekalb County to speak to high school seniors.

“As a freshman, I was so involved that I already wanted to tell high school students what I had learned,” Cook said. “Since then, I’ve had 124 lunches with prospective students, and I’ve even had students see me on campus and say I was their SAA and now they’re here.”

Cook also created the Dillon Cook Achievement Scholarship for seniors at Ider High School. The $1,000 scholarship is in its third year.

“It can be used for tuition, books, whatever they see fit,” he said. “I feel I have a commitment to pay it forward. When I was a senior in high school, I was offered $2.4 million dollars in scholarships. That wouldn’t have been possible without people creating scholarships.”

UA Opened the Door to the Future 

“One of the things that makes UA special is the community here. I think coming here, especially as an in-state student, I had the assumption that it was mostly in-state students who were mostly similar,” he said. “One, I became more involved in the body of campus I realized what a melting pot UA really is.”

“UA has given me a wide variety of connections and networking. Because I hit the ground running when I was a freshman, I’ve been able to have so many great relationships with so many people,” Cook added.

“One way UA has shaped me is that it has given me a voice,” Cook added. “I’ve always been outgoing, but UA has helped me cultivate what I’m passionate about and go and get it.”