Catchin' Up With a Cookie: Marie Febrillet
Marie Febrillet
2020 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Columbia University
Can you start by introducing yourself?
Hi Cookies! My name is Marie Febrillet. I’m a 2020 UT Scholar! I graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Sustainable Development in 2023. Before Columbia, I went to Passaic County Community College, and I was actually the first person from my school to become a Cooke Scholar, which was a euphoric experience.
What does being a Cooke Scholar mean to you?
For me, being a Cooke Scholar means striving to achieve the impossible while understanding that when you accept that the journey allows companions it can be done in excellence. When I learned to rely on others all the impossible tasks became achievable. For instance, my senior thesis almost destroyed me ( my topic was too niche and it became hard at times to perform calculations). I have to attribute my success to my professor and friends, one of them my fellow Cooke Scholar Altrim, for standing by me and reminding me that I had done so much more before this and that those things also seemed impossible at the time. The fellowship within the Cooke community is unlike any other, and if you learn to rely on other Cooke Scholars your journey will be an easier one. With that in mind, find the Scholars on your campus!
Tell us about a memorable moment in undergrad or graduate school.
This is pretty basic but it was most definitely finding my grove and having the college experience in itself. Thanks to being a Scholar I was able to rent an apartment near campus and that allowed me to hang with my friends at random times for coffee or impromptu studying sessions. The college experience in itself is the most memorable thing of my undergrad experience, if I wasn’t a Scholar I most likely wouldn’t have attended Columbia, and if I did I would live in Jersey and have had to commute which does not allow for the complete college experience.
What is ONE THING YOU DID TO HELP TRANSITION TO YOUR FIRST YEAR OUT OF COLLEGE?
Taking some time to acknowledge how cool it is to make it to the finish line. I feel like we’re often going from goal to goal and forget to acknowledge that the moment we’re currently living used to be a dream at what point. When I graduated I took the summer off to enjoy the fruits of my labor and I think that helped me find my way and transition to the workforce with more energy!
What was the last show you watched that you really enjoyed and highly recommended?
After graduating, I took back my “reading for fun” policy. I am a big fantasy and romance reader, and as of late, I’ve enjoyed reading anything by Abby Jimenez! Very pure and realistic romance books, highly recommend “Yours Truly” it’s such a cute book. If you’re more into fantasy, definitely Throne of Glass, which I read when I was younger and it’s making a huge comeback on TikTok! (if you read them feel free to reach out and let me know how it goes!)
If you were to create your own cookie, what would it consist of and what name would you give it?
I LOVE THE COOKIE MONSTER SO IT WOULD BE CALLED THE COOKIE MONSTER AND IT WOULD HAVE OREOS AND CHOLATE CHIPS SO IT WOULD BE A PERFECT MIX OF OREOS AND A CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE. I feel very deeply about this.
