BEREA, Ohio — Julia Cooke, of Pittsfield, was among nearly 600 first-year students welcomed to the Baldwin Wallace University campus this fall who claimed $7.8 million in merit scholarships.

Cooke, a graduate of Messalonskee High School, is majoring in theatre acting and directing. She earned a $15,000 Trustee’s Scholarship based on outstanding academic achievements in high school, according to a news release from the university.

The scholarships are awarded to full-time students and are renewable up to four years with good academic and social standing. The university grants a wide range of scholarships to current students each year. Including merit and need-based scholarships, students received more than $57 million in financial support from the University for the 2019-20 academic year.