March 2026
Cooke Alums after the Career Pathways Exchange at Scholars Weekend 2025
Compass Feature: Dina Asfaha
2007 Young Scholar; 2012 College Scholar; 2016 Graduate Scholar, University of Pennsylvania
Dina became a Cooke Young Scholar in 2007, and majored in African Studies as a College Scholar at Barnard College. As a Graduate Scholar, she earned her master's degree in Oral History from Columbia and then went on to the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her PhD in Anthropology. Dina is now working as a Postdoctoral Associate at MIT's Department of Anthropology, and her work and interests focus on the social, political-economic, and cultural factors that shape health, medicine, and medical humanitarianism in Africa and the African diaspora. In the below video, Dina shares how she practices self care.
You can connect with Dina on LinkedIn here.
Alumni Updates
Cooke Alum Melissa Gordon
Melissa Gordon
2013 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2022 Graduate Scholar, University of Southern California
Earlier this year, Melissa began a new role with Crunchyroll, a global streaming service that specializes in Japanese anime. She joined the company with extensive experience in marketing within a leading entertainment company.
Melissa shared, “In my new role as Director, Global Marketing Strategy & Programs at Crunchyroll, I partner cross-functionally to shape and execute our worldwide marketing strategy, with a strong emphasis on organizational alignment and operational clarity.
I collaborate across Brand, Content, Theatrical, and Regional Marketing, along with Partner Relations, Audience Development, and Creative Services, to bring multi-channel campaigns and strategic initiatives to life. This includes supporting flagship efforts like Choose Unordinary, the company’s first dedicated brand campaign across markets. I’m energized by the opportunity to elevate the Crunchyroll brand at scale while continuing to grow as an executive leader.”
You can connect with Melissa on LinkedIn here.
Leib Celnik
2014 College Scholar; 2018 Graduate Scholar, Johns Hopkins University
Cooke Alum Lieb Celnik
Leib published a chapter in The Invention of Scientific Conservation: Expert Cultures of Conservation after the Second World War at the end of last year. Leib’s chapter “focuses on some of the people and institutions that had the largest impact on conservation in the United States, which I hope illustrates the personal dimensions that go into this interdisciplinary work. This project was developed from working and speaking with many historians, conservators, and scholars interested in the history of conservation, and it was a wonderful opportunity for collaboration.”
You can find information on the volume here, and you can see Leib’s chapter featured here with a summary for general audiences.
You can connect with Leib on LinkedIn here.
Leah Marie Basaria
2022 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, University of Central Florida
Cooke Alum Leah Marie Basaria
In December, Leah began a new role as a Special Education Teacher at Steps Learning Center in the Mills District of Central Florida.
Steps Learning Center (Steps) is a microschool for neurodivergent children with needs beyond what a standard public school can accommodate. The school’s approach is to “offer a different path; our Orlando-based center provides small group instruction, integrated therapies, and a mission-driven team dedicated to every child’s progress and independence. We partner closely with families, prioritize communication, and celebrate every milestone—big or small.”
Leah shared, “Most of our students have autism, Down syndrome, Charge syndrome, and other unique abilities. About 60% of our students are nonverbal, so teaching them to find their voice (not always audible) is a primary focus for us. We receive funding to help parents transition their children into our learning center and to collaborate with local providers for in-house ABA, OT, and speech therapy services… Every day affirms my purpose of helping people achieve the best possible outcomes.”
Leah is also excited to collaborate with the leader of Steps as she continues to build out her nonprofit Light Line. Light Line is a reentry program that begins with a cognitive-behavioral curriculum, resources & life skills classes, serving incarcerated individuals inside correctional facilities and providing resources to help make a plan for reentry prior to release.
“The principal is one of the hardest-working and most tenacious individuals anyone could meet, and it didn't take long for her to see that I put my all into everything I do,” said Leah. “Now we're talking collaboration. My nonprofit is my nonprofit, and I can expand services from solely re-entry (tertiary prevention) to re-entry and prevention.”
You can connect with Leah on LinkedIn here.
Submit an Internship for Cooke Scholars or Attend Office Hours!
Are you in the process of submitting an internship opportunity for Cooke Scholars? Or are you interested in learning more about the process?
Join the Foundation’s Career Advancement team for open office hours on Wednesday, March 11 at 11:30 p.m. ET. You can register for the session below.
Stay Connected: Complete the Alumni Survey Today!
We're excited to announce that our 2026 biennial Alumni survey is open, and you should have received a message from “alumni@jkcf.org via SurveyMonkey” in your inbox last month.
We want to make sure we have your up-to-date information so you can receive invitations to meet up and opportunities to connect with us. Please take a few minutes to complete the Alumni survey before the deadline on March 13.
Thank you in advance for your time and willingness to engage, and please email us at alumni@jkcf.org if you have any questions.
Alums - Apply to Volunteer at Scholars Weekend
The Alumni Interest Form for Scholars Weekend 2026 is open. All Alumni and Grad Scholars were sent a message from “alumni@jkcf.org via SurveyMonkey.” Please complete the form by Friday, March 13 if you are interested in helping at this year’s Scholars Weekend.
Thank you in advance for your time and continued dedication to supporting our Cooke community!
2025 Undergraduate Scholar Award recipient Matthew Werneken at the 2025 Scholars Weekend banquet
Apply for the 2026 Scholar & Alumni Awards!
The 2026 applications for two monetary awards for Cooke Scholars and Alums are open!
The Undergraduate Scholar Award in Honor of Dennis I. Belcher is a $5,000 award that may be given annually to one or more current Cooke Scholars.
The Matthew J. Quinn Prize is a $10,000 award that may be given annually to one or more current Cooke Graduate Scholars or Cooke Alums.
The awards are designed to recognize Cooke Scholars and Alums who have demonstrated outstanding achievement during the prior three years (January 2023 through December 2025). Such achievements might include the development of an innovative solution to a societal problem, creation of a significant community program, or publication of an important work. The outstanding achievement must demonstrate impact and touch the lives of others in meaningful ways.
The deadline to apply for these awards is Friday, March 27, 2026.
Apply here. You can nominate someone for one of the awards here.
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.
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.