November 2024
Cooke Scholars and Alums at Cooke Connections: NYC in October 2024.
Compass Feature: Rachel Laryea, PhD
Check out our latest Cooke Alum Interview featuring Rachel Laryea, a 2007 Young Scholar, a 2012 College Scholar from New York University. She is currently an Asset Wealth Management Researcher at JPMorgan, and the proud founder of Kelewele, a cultural lifestyle brand that is reimagining how people use and eat plantains. She is also the author of Black Capitalists, which will be published by Penguin Random House in June 2025. The book takes a groundbreaking look at how Black visionaries—from Wall Street to Lagos and beyond—are reimagining capitalism to benefit the needs of Black people and, ultimately, everyone. In her interview, Rachel discusses her journey in greater detail, and how her different ventures are perfectly connected!
You can connect with Rachel on LinkedIn here.
Compass Feature: Mandolyn Ludlum
2013 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2018 Graduate Scholar, University of Oxford
Mandolyn Ludlum is a 2013 Transfer Scholar and a 2018 Graduate Scholar. Her research at UC Berkeley, the University of Cape Town, and the University of Oxford has spanned from the use of policymaking for equity in elementary education in an international context to the use of culturally relevant arts education by educators of color with elementary students of color. In the below video, Mandolyn discusses the importance of communicating with the Foundation when you’re struggling.
You can connect with Mandolyn on LinkedIn here.
Cordero Holmes
2022 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2024 Graduate Scholar, Arizona State University
Earlier this summer, Cordero became the Director of Operations for Progress Pushers Arizona, an organization dedicated to guiding, educating, and empowering youth that are most impacted by societal systems.
Cordero shared more about his role, “As the Director of Operations for Progress Pushers AZ, I ensure all operational areas meet program goals and metrics while collaborating closely with the Executive Director (Coy Graham) on compliance, reporting, and strategic planning. Building and maintaining strong relationships with local organizations is key, as I represent our agency in the community and engage with stakeholders. I also lead mentoring sessions and support groups, applying transformative models like CARMA, motivational interviewing, and restorative justice. In addition to all this, I also manage caseloads, track participant progress, and ensure thorough documentation to maintain transparency and accountability.”
When asked about his favorite part of working for this organization, Cordero said, “The greatest part of working for Progress Pushers AZ is the opportunity to employ justice-impacted mentors who work with youth currently navigating the system and to witness the transformative process not only for both mentee and mentor but for the community as a whole.”
You can connect with Cordero on LinkedIn here.
Clare Monfredo
2013 Graduate Arts Scholar, Rice University
Clare recently collaborated with her friend, clarinetist Eric Schultz, on his album Polyglot, alongside pianist Han Chen.
Clare said about the album, “I love the concept behind Eric's album as it really showcases the range of all the instruments as imagined by a stylistically diverse group of composers. Working on the album was both challenging and incredibly easy: recording is always a tricky business, but working on this great music with two friends with whom I have collaborated with many times was such a blast.”
Clare has the following advice for Cooke Alums in a similar creative field, “I always think working in the arts is always challenging and requires you to not only be incredibly hard working but resilient, flexible, and resourceful. In this environment, building networks of support is so important, whether that is through finding collaborators who you work with repeatedly over time, or connecting to larger organizations like the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation that will help you in critical stages of your training and career. When in doubt, reach out to people to share your work, ask for help, and support others - even solo art isn't made alone!”
You can read the full press release here, visit Clare’s website here, and listen to the album on Spotify here.
Diego Degenhart
2019 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Rice University
In October, Diego started a new role as a Planning and Capacity Building Analyst at The Cadmus Group, an interdisciplinary firm delivering holistic solutions in the built environment, including water, transportation, energy, and building infrastructure sectors. His role within the Resilient Infrastructure Practice team stands as an opportunity to combine his backgrounds in community engagement, planning, transit advocacy, and placemaking to advance projects at broad and local scales.
Diego shared, “At Cadmus, I'm most excited to join the dedicated interdisciplinary team developing the Reconnecting Communities Institute, part of a multi-million dollar US Department of Transportation program aimed at equipping historically underserved communities with the capacity to undo harms caused by transportation infrastructure. This opportunity advances my mission to learn from and work alongside communities in removing barriers to opportunity and vitality, with the ultimate goal of creating a vibrant and accessible built environment. I can't wait to see what I'll learn!”
You can connect with Diego on LinkedIn here.
Matthew Wessler
2020 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Georgia State University
Matthew, a Consultant at Oliver Wyman Actuarial, officially became an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society in October.
Matthew chose to pursue a career in actuarial science because of his love of math and business; actuaries are individuals who quantify risk and communicate complex topics to different stakeholders, typically in insurance. To become a fully credentialed actuary, you must pass a series of ten rigorous exams, each requiring around 300 hours of studying. Matthew recently passed his seventh exam, earning him his Associateship in the Casualty Actuarial Society (ACAS).
Reflecting on this milestone, Matthew remembers, “how it doesn’t feel like that long ago when I started studying for my first exam, and that it feels wonderful to finally reach this milestone. There were definitely challenging points in the study process, but I’m so glad I pushed through those times.”
He attributes a lot of what helped motivated him to having a strong support network of friends and family. Matthew has begun studying for his first fellowship exam and aims to pass the last three over the next two years. He welcomes anyone interested in learning more about the actuarial profession to connect with him.
You can connect with Matthew on LinkedIn here.
Celebrate Mr. Cooke’s Birthday by Sharing an Internship Opportunity with Scholars
As we celebrate Mr. Cooke's birthday this year, we invite you to join in the effort to make his dream of a vibrant community of Alums and Scholars working together a reality. Contribute an internship at your place of work and join our Think Big About Internships campaign, launched in honor of Mr. Cooke's vision for the community and the Foundation's 25th anniversary.
You, the Cooke Alums, are just the right people to connect talented, hard-working Scholars with career-advancing internships. You not only know what it's like to be a Cooke Scholar, you also know how amazing they are.
Working together, Cooke Scholars and Alums can create significant impact across industries, and even the world!
Here’s how you can get involved:
Hire a Cooke Scholar for a summer 2025 internship.
Connect Scholars with hiring managers in your network.
Spread the word about the amazing Cooke Scholar talent pool.
Earlier last month, we hosted a virtual Alumni Kickoff Event for the campaign where we will talked about the details of how Alums can get involved.
The Latest Alumni Blog Features
Catchin’ Up With a Cookie: Marie Febrillet
Our Catchin’ Up with a Cookie blog features Cooke Alum Marie Febrillet, a 2020 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar from Columbia University. In this blog, she shares about her experience connecting with fellow Scholars at Columbia, and how she made the most of her time after graduating. Read more about her here.
Cooke Career Snapshot: Religious Services & Ministry with Hannah Scarborough
In this blog, Cooke Alum Hannah (Turner) Scarborough, a 2019 College Scholar, reflects on her career journey, starting with a strong drive for financial stability as a motivation behind her college ambitions. Through experiences at Yale and various internships, she discovered a deeper calling towards nonprofit and faith-based work, ultimately leading her to a role in ministry at Yale. This path, influenced by her interactions with fellow scholars, has allowed her to focus on personal growth, service, and making a meaningful impact on others. Read the blog here.
Cooke Graduate Scholarship Application Open
The Graduate Scholarship is awarded to outstanding Cooke Scholars and recent Cooke Alums to support them to complete graduate degrees at top institutions. Applications for the Graduate Scholarship are due January 10, 2025. Find details on the Graduate Scholarship webpage and info sheet and find example responses to application questions on the Grad Scholar Portal. If you have more questions or would like support on your application, email gradscholars@jkcf.org.
Grad School Application Office Hours: Tips & Guidance from Cooke Alums
Are you in the process of applying for graduate school? Are you planning to submit an application for the Foundation’s Graduate Scholarship?
Register for our Grad School Application Office Hours, a unique opportunity for Scholars to receive personalized advice and insights directly from Alums who have successfully navigated the grad school application process, and received the Graduate Scholarship. Cooke Alums will offer guidance on everything from selecting programs and preparing application materials to interview strategies and tips for a standout application. Whether you’re just beginning your applications or fine-tuning your materials, this is your chance to ask questions and gain valuable, real-world advice from those who’ve been in your shoes!
The following Cooke Alums will be at the session on Friday, November 15th from 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET:
Josue Luna, 2018 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, 2024 Graduate Scholar
A current graduate student in mechanical engineering at the University of Southern California
Jonathan Finnerty, 2015 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2017 Graduate Scholar, University of Tennessee
A tenure-track faculty member at Middlesex College in Philosophy within the Department of History and Social Sciences
Connect with other Cooke Scholars and Alums in our private LinkedIn Group
Are you a member of the private LinkedIn Group “Cooke Scholars & Alumni”? Join our group to expand your network and discover professional opportunities. Together, we foster a vibrant community where we exchange insights, support each other's endeavors, and unearth exciting professional prospects. Request to join the group here.
We want to hear from you!
Have you recently changed jobs? Did you have your research published this year? Is your family growing? We would love to hear your personal, professional, and academic updates! Feel free to submit your news below or email Alumni Engagement Manager Gabby Nicholas.
Cooke Scholars and Alums at Microsoft as part of Cooke Connections: New York City.