December 2025
Cooke Alumni Internship Champions on stage at the 25th Anniversary Celebration in Washington D.C.
Compass Feature: Vanessa Hughes
2022 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Vanessa became a Scholar in 2022, and graduated in 2024 from University of North Carolina at Pembroke with her Bachelor’s in Psychology. Vanessa is currently a research assistant and project manager with a global collaborative research project called the The Emerging Adulthood Measured at Multiple Institutions: Ongoing (EAMMi).
You can connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn here.
Podcast Feature: 20 Years of Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Awards
Listen to a recent episode of NPR’s From the Top podcast about their 20-year partnership with the Cooke Foundation and our 25th anniversary. Through the partnership, From The Top has awarded 428 remarkable young artists with financial need with $4.2 million in instruments, private lessons, program tuition, college audition trips, and much more.
In this episode, Cooke Alum Peter Dugan has a conversation with Seppy Basili, the Foundation’s executive director, as well as some of the program’s Alumni who have gone on to major careers in music after receiving the award as teens. Listen to the episode below.
Michael Sansone & Trevin Cox
Michael: 2022 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2025 Graduate Scholar, Illinois Institute of Technology
Cooke Alums Trevin Cox (middle) and Michael Sanson (right) stand with their teammate Felix Nkurunziza at the Grainger Computing Innovation Prize Competition.
Trevin: 2022 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Illinois Institute of Technology
Michael and Trevin competed as part of a team in Illinois Institute of Technology's Grainger Computing Innovation Prize Competition. Their project, DrainWatch, sends real-time data collected during rainstorms to municipal wastewater crews to help them operate flood mitigation tools such as gates and pumps. Over time, the data collected by these sensors can help prioritize a maintenance schedule for a sewer system, as well as predict flooding events in future storms.
"Mine and Trevin's friendship and working partnership dates back to a Physics 1 group project at the City Colleges of Chicago. I have fond memories of the morning we both learned we had won the Undergraduate Transfer scholarship,” Michael said. “While our paths diverged after we transferred to Illinois Tech together, our shared Cooke values always found us in the same rooms, asking the same questions, and trying to tackle similar community issues. This project was the first time since 2020 that we were able to team up again, and having never lost sight of those shared Cooke values put our team over the top."
Their team won first place at the Grainger Computing Innovation Prize Competition, and they were the first team in the history of the competition to take home both the top honors and the audience choice award.
"When we transferred to Illinois Tech as Cooke Scholars, we honestly thought our careers were going in totally different directions,” said Trevin. “I was focused on things like space systems engineering and astrophysics research, and Mike, to my understanding, was focused on dirt. The Cooke Foundation made it possible for us to explore our own fields, and then eventually come back together around a shared problem that we could only solve because of all that we had learned along those diverging paths."
You can read an article about the competition here, connect with Michael on LinkedIn here, and connect with Trevin on LinkedIn here.
Tanner Mathison
2002 Young Scholar; 2007 College Scholar; 2012 Graduate Scholar, University of Pennsylvania
Tanner was recently the faculty spotlight for the George Washington National Security Law Program. Currently an in-house lawyer at Amazon, Tanner also serves as a Professor within the school and co-teaches Artificial Intelligence Law and Policy.
Prior to joining Amazon, he served as Chief Information Officer at the CIA’s Office of Inspector General, and as Associate Counsel for the Intelligence Community Inspector General at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Last year, he published an article exploring the potential for AI to achieve legal status—with rights and responsibilities. You can read the article here.
You can connect with Tanner on LinkedIn here.
Qian Qian Tang
2001 Young Scholar; 2006 College Scholar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
In October, Qian Qian stepped into the role of CEO of the UnitedHealthcare Community Health Plan of New York, which serves more than 600,000 New Yorkers across Medicaid and dual programs.
Qian Qian shared more information on LinkedIn about this new role, “This mission - ensuring that every person has access to quality, dignified care, and finding new ways to make our complicated system work better for those who rely on it most - is deeply personal to me…
As I begin this new chapter, I’m energized to lean in with my new team and humbled by the opportunity to strengthen our partnerships with providers, community organizations, the state of New York and, above all, our members. There’s meaningful work ahead, and I’m ready to get started.”
You can connect with Qian Qian on LinkedIn here.
Deanna G. Keller
2015 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2018 Graduate Scholar, Arizona State University
Deanna just celebrated five years of teaching at Lake Superior College, the community college where she started her own academic career. She also teaches at other community colleges in Minnesota as part of the state-wide adjunct float pool.
“I've been teaching First Year Experience — teaching students how to do this thing called college,” Deanna shared. “I've also been teaching various English classes across the state such as Comp I &II, Technical Writing, Business Writing, Modern Fantasy, Greek & Roman Mythology, World Literature, and Environmental Literature. One of the most fun and interesting set of classes was doing distance type classes for two correctional facilities in Minnesota through a grant that provides college degrees for incarcerated students.”
In addition to working as a Quality Nurse Analyst at Essential Health, Deanna also serves as the PTK advisor for Lake Superior College, the Associate Regional Coordinator for the Minn-Kota Region, and the alumni advisor for the regional alumni chapter.
You can connect with Deanna on LinkedIn here.
Submit an Internship for Cooke Scholars!
Last year, Cooke Scholar Alums shared 150 internship opportunities in the first year of this Cooke Career Network initiative. The above video captures one of those opportunities that transformed lives
As we wrap up 2025, we want to remind Alums to submit summer internship opportunities for Cooke Scholars. We also wanted to give a special shoutout to Cooke Alums Tanner Mathison, Michael Cash, Paola Didone, and Sunpreet Singh for the opportunities they’ve shared.
Thanks to all the Alums who have submitted so far - we’re currently at 105 internships!
If you have questions about submitting an opportunity, or if you want to learn more, please email us at internships@jkcf.org or watch a recording below of our “How to Submit an Alumni-Sponsored Internship” webinar from September.
Upcoming Events
Join us for an engaging 45-minute session designed for our regional chapter leaders and interested participants! This meeting will provide important updates and practical guidance to help you successfully host meetups and dinners in your city. We’ll walk through the Thrive Together program, share best practices, and introduce tools and resources to make planning easier and more impactful.
What You’ll Learn:
About Thrive Together: Understand the mission and goals of the program.
Toolkit Overview: Explore resources available to support your events.
Reimbursable Funds: Learn what expenses are covered, including dinners, meetups, and activities.
Flexible Event Timeline: Tips for scheduling events throughout the year.
How to Establish a Regional Chapter Team: Learning how to create a successful team in your region to support your work.
Whether you’re a seasoned leader or new to the role, this session will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to create meaningful experiences for Scholars and Alums in your region.
The Cooke Graduate Scholarship is Open!
The Cooke Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2026 Cooke Graduate Scholarship. This scholarship program is available only to Cooke undergraduate scholarship recipients and recent Cooke Alums who plan to pursue a graduate degree beginning in fall 2026. Cooke Alums who graduated between fall of 2022 and summer 2025 are eligible to apply. The application deadline is January 9, 2026.
For more information, see the detailed FAQ section on our website (scroll down toward the bottom of the page). You can also find examples of successful 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.
Last Chance to Become a Mentor in the Cooke Alumni Mentoring Program (CAMP)!
Don’t miss your chance to make a meaningful impact this spring! The Cooke Alumni Mentoring Program (CAMP) is your opportunity to connect with the next generation of Cooke Scholars and share the wisdom you've gained along your journey.
CAMP pairs Cooke Alumni with undergraduate Scholars (primarily juniors) who share similar academic or professional interests. As a mentor, you’ll meet with your mentee twice during the spring (virtually or in person) to:
Offer insight into your field
Help them navigate next steps in their academic or career path
Support their growth with honest feedback, encouragement, and connections
Your voice, experience, and network can open doors for a Scholar who’s just starting their career. Alumni mentors consistently tell us how energizing and meaningful these relationships become, not just for Scholars, but for mentors too.
If you're ready to pay it forward and uplift a current Scholar, now is the time.
Sign up today to be matched with a mentee this spring! Registration closes on December 5, 2025.
Share the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship with Your Networks!
The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship application is now open through Common App for Transfer. The application deadline is January 7, 2026. We’d appreciate your support in spreading the word on social media and sharing with your networks. If you're a current or former Cooke Transfer Scholar, please consider reaching out to your community college asking them to encourage eligible students to apply.
If you do not have contact information for your community college’s Campus Representative, you can access the list here: Find Your Campus Representative.
If your community college currently does not have one and would like to designate a Campus Representative, they can complete this form: Campus Representative Update.
To apply, students can find the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation in Common App for Transfer by visiting www.jkcf.org/catransfer and adding the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation to their Common App as if the Foundation is a school. They can learn more about the program on our website and in this digital flyer. Here are our posts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter/X to help spread the word even further, or even to directly share with anyone you know who might be interested.
If you receive any questions, please direct them to scholarships@jkcf.org.
Share Your Big News!
Have you landed an amazing new job, published groundbreaking research, or welcomed a new addition to your family this year? We want to celebrate your incredible personal, professional, and academic achievements! Share your exciting updates with us by submitting your news below or emailing our Alumni Engagement Manager Gabby Nicholas.
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.
Cooke Alums at the 25th Anniversary Celebration in London.