October 2023
Thrive Together meetup with Scholars and Alums in the Philly Regional Chapter
Compass Feature: Rama Gerig
2013 Transfer Scholar, 2015 Graduate Scholar, University of Houston
Rama became a Cooke Scholar in 2013, and studied Psychology as a Transfer Scholar at the University of St. Thomas in Texas. She then went on to the University of Houston as a Graduate Scholar, where she earned her Master of Social Work degree. Rama now works in private practice as a psychotherapist.
In the below video, Rama shares how she learned to learn on her peers and seek out resources at her undergraduate institution as a Transfer Scholar.
To connect with Rama on LinkedIn, click here.
Compass Feature: Francesca Raoelison
Check out the next installment of our Cooke Alum Interviews featuring Francesca Raoelison, a 2018 Transfer Scholar and recent graduate of Brown University.
Most recently, Francesca received our 2023 Undergraduate Award in honor of Dennis I. Belcher. She was recognized for her work as the founder of Omena, a youth-led, and youth-centered organization that is breaking the cycle of emotional abuse through training, preventive evidence-based social-emotional education, and community support.
In addition to her interview below, you can check our her Undergraduate Award video here.
Carolina Andrada
2010 Young Scholar, 2015 College Scholar, 2020 Graduate Scholar, Georgetown University
Carolina recently completed a Master of Science in Foreign Service at Georgetown University and has begun a new role as a Research Associate at the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
In regard to their new role, Carolina said, “I'm most looking forward to working with our team to publish an upcoming report on PEPFAR reauthorization and the United States' role in furthering international HIV/AIDS and pandemic preparedness and response (PPR) policy. I'm also excited because the role enables me to interface with colleagues from all sorts of different organizations across the DC ecosystem, so I'm learning a lot about each organization's role and contributions to health security.”
To connect with Carolina on LinkedIn, click here.
Amal Altareb
2018 College Scholar, Yale University
Amal recently started a new position as a Social Studies and Advisory Teacher at Pleasant View School in Memphis, Tennessee.
While reflecting on this exciting and challenging new chapter, Amal shared that, “This year, I am looking forward to teaching my students both the content and skills necessary for exploring historical and current global patterns in our world. I also look forward to deepening my relationships with my students by encouraging them to reflect about their identities and their futures, especially for those applying to colleges.”
You can connect with Amal on LinkedIn here.
Peter Pindjak
2009 Graduate Scholar, University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
At the beginning of August, Peter assumed a new diplomatic position - Deputy Head of Mission at the Slovak Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and other international organizations in Vienna.
Peter completed his previous diplomatic posting at the Slovak Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York in the summer of 2020 and subsequently worked for 3 years at the Office of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic. In the current position, Peter focuses mostly on the OSCE, where the main agenda items remains the ongoing war in Ukraine.
He shared, “We are witnessing very challenging times as we have an ongoing inter-state war in our immediate neighborhood. This is extremely sad, especially for the people of Ukraine. The European security architecture will need to adapt and evolve as the war in Ukraine comes to an end, and the same applies to the OSCE, which will need to find its place in the new post-war international order. It is both a challenge and responsibility, and I look forward to being part of the dialogue and discussions that will lead to the restoration of peace and stability.”
To learn more about Peter’s academic and professional career, connect with him here.
The Latest from the CookeAlumni.org Blog
To check out previous blog posts from CookeAlumni.org, click here.
Cooke Connections
When Mr. Cooke was planning the creation of the Foundation, he spoke about his dream for what the community of Scholars and Alums would someday become. He envisioned a network of individuals working across industries and collaborating with each other to make the world a better place.
In the spirit of that dream, we are so excited to share that Foundation staff members will begin visiting regions across the country to host Cooke Connections events. Scholars who attend Cooke Connections events will have access to unique, in-person professional networking and community building opportunities, including mentorship from Cooke Alums.
Our first Cooke Connections event is in Boston, MA from November 2-3. If you’re a Scholar or Alum in the Boston area, check your emails for more information or click here.
Plan an Event for Mr. Cooke’s Birthday
We’ve loved seeing all of the Back-to-School Gatherings this summer across regions. Our next Thrive Together Big Four Event is Mr. Cooke’s Birthday Celebration. Since Mr. Cooke’s birthday was on October 25, we encourage Scholars and Alums to celebrate anytime between October and November.
To organize a Thrive Together meetup in your area for Mr. Cooke’s birthday, follow the steps to request funding on the Thrive Together website here.
After the event, the organizer will need to submit a post-event form along with an expense report and receipts and the Foundation will reimburse the organizer. Reimbursement forms and all related receipts must be turned in within 30 days of the event, or the reimbursement cannot be processed. Participants are allowed to be reimbursed once per Big Four time period.
To learn more about the Thrive Together process and to check out the rewards available for attending Thrive Together events, click here.
Seeking Regional Chapter Leaders!
I’m excited to share that since the last call, we’ve had Alums fill in roles in Central Florida, Dallas, TX, and San Diego! We’re still looking for folks in any of the following regions to become a Cooke Regional Chapter Leader:
Minneapolis, MN
New Orleans, LA
Denver, CO
Phoenix, AZ
Seattle, WA
Bay Area, CA
United Kingdom
Any other region where we don’t have an organized chapter
Please email alumni@jkcf.org if you want to learn more about becoming a regional chapter leader. We will have an onboarding and regional chapter leader meeting this summer to share best practices and updates from the Foundation!
Share an update with us!
Alums, do you want to be featured in an upcoming Alumni Buzz? Do you have an academic, professional, or personal update to share? We would love to hear it!
Throwback Photo: Scholars Weekend 2023