Cox awards scholarship to Peoria student – peoriatimes.com
A few clouds from time to time. High 102F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..
Clear skies. Low 79F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Updated: September 11, 2025 @ 12:21 am
Jacob Sajan received a $10,000 scholarship from Cox to attend Arizona State University, where he currently studies computer science and pre-medicine.
Jacob Sajan received a $10,000 scholarship from Cox to attend Arizona State University, where he currently studies computer science and pre-medicine.
Jacob Sajan is a 16-year-old with dreams of becoming a medical researcher — combining his passions for medicine and computer science. In May, he woke up to an email that would help to secure his path forward — a $10,000 scholarship from internet provider and cable television company, Cox.
“I remember waking up that morning and seeing the email coming back from Cox that I had received a scholarship, and I just sat there in my bed re-reading the email over and over,” he said. “I was sure there was something I had read wrong. I remember running out to tell my dad and we were both so happy.
“I told him, ‘Make sure you don’t tell Mom. I want to tell her when she comes home by myself.’”
Sajan is one of 10 students in Arizona who have collectively received $100,000 in scholarships from Cox. He said the money has relieved much of the financial pressure for him and his family.
Phoenix Market Vice President Susan Anable said in a statement that the company is dedicated to helping students to achieve their goals in higher education.
“These Scholarships reflect Cox’s commitment to supporting individuals within the communities we serve,” she said. “We are delighted to help this outstanding group of young adults from Arizona pursue their educational dreams.”
Sajan graduated early from Centennial High School in Peoria Unified School District and is now a first-year student at Arizona State University, majoring in computer science with a minor in pre-medicine. He said his goal when he becomes a medical researcher is to be able to spend half of his time working with patients in a hospital or clinic, and the other half working in the research lab.
The young STEMM student said that he’s been interested in computer science since he was a kid, adding that it coincided with his affinity for mathematics. Sajan began taking coding courses in middle school at his brother’s recommendation.
“I started taking them when I was in sixth grade and I really, really loved it,” he said. “I don’t know what specifically drew me to it… I guess it was just the fact that I could make a simple change and see everything unfold before me and knowing that all of it was a result of my own work.”
While in high school, Sajan participated in various extracurricular activities including the marching band and a hip-hop dance program — which he started at his local church. He taught the group of 10 boys routines that he choreographed himself. Sajan said that it was difficult to navigate teaching the class while also wanting to be friends with the students, all of which were his age. He added that he learned a lot from the experience and wrote about the lessons in his essay for the Cox scholarship.
The former drum major of the marching band, Sajan said that the position challenged his introverted nature and encouraged him to develop vital communication skills. From speaking as a leader to a group of 50 to chatting with an intimate group of friends, the scholarship recipient attributes his social prowess to his time in high school.
Sajan said that his greatest source of inspiration is his family — especially his older brother, who is in medical school. He said his mother and father have pushed him to give his best effort in all of his endeavors. Aneela Sajan — Jacob’s mother — said she could not be prouder and is delighted by his inquisitive nature.
“If any question arises in his mind, he works hard and investigates until he gets a satisfactory and convincing answer,” she said. “I always tell him to stay humble and be grateful for the gifts that God has given him and cherish them for the benefit of himself and people around him.
“He’s a very gifted kid.”
For Sajan, the pursuit of a career in medical research is not the only important part of his life. He said that in his new chapter of academia, he intends to study and work hard, as well as keep his hobbies alive.
“One of my biggest goals long term is to not lose all of my skills that I’ve cultivated in my career,” he said. “I know that medicine can and will be a very demanding career and educational path, and I want to make sure I don’t lose all of these things that I really enjoy in my life and have worked hard on for years.
“I don’t want to lose other things that are important to me as well, not just to the world.”
Never miss an issue. Sign up for free today.
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
