April 2026
Cooke Alums at Scholars Weekend 2025 with Foundation Dean Janoah Williams (middle)
Compass Feature: Ivan Franco
2020 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Ivan became a Scholar in 2020 and transferred from Palm Beach State College to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to study Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. While a student at Embry-Riddle, Ivan interned at Pratt & Whitney in their Manufacturing Engineering division. After graduating, Ivan joined Pratt & Whitney full time as a Project Engineer and was recently promoted to Structures Engineer. In the below conversation, Ivan discusses his academic and career journey, and the importance of networking and open communication within the engineering field.
You can connect with Ivan on LinkedIn here.
Alumni Updates
Emann Odufu
Cooke Alum Emann Odufu
2002 Young Scholar; 2007 College Scholar, The New School
Emann recently completed and published his first limited-edition catalogue, “People Everyday,” which he curated in collaboration with the Liu Shiming Art Foundation. The opening reception of "People Everyday" will be held on Tuesday, May 27 at the Liu Shiming Art Gallery in New York and the exhibition will run through July 31, 2026.
Emann shared, “The book focuses on the similarities in practice between works from the estate of Liu Shiming and those of world-renowned conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas.”
“As someone who has been a Jack Kent Cooke Scholar since I was 13 having been in one of the first Young Scholars and then College Scholar cohorts, I see the Foundation as having played a significant role in my journey to this point.”
Additionally, Emann interviewed Glenn Ligon for Bomb Magazine on behalf of his recent show at the Aspen Art Museum.
You can connect with Emann on LinkedIn here.
Ziz Simoens
Cooke Alum Ziz Simoens
2005 Young Scholar, 2010 College Scholar; 2014 Graduate Scholar, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
After starting a new role at Wayland Games Ltd. as a Senior Game Designer within Warcradle Studios, Ziz just released her first tabletop game. Mix Up Fairy Tales is a cooperative card game where you work together with other players to create a shared story. “The game starts with a well-known tale that you will then "mix-up" as you replace characters and events with those from other stories to create fantastic new classics of your own.”
The game was created to go alongside the Fairy Tales exhibition at The British Library, which is a new interactive exhibition that encourages visitors to dive into classic fairytale stories and interact with books, theatre costumes, puppets, pop-ups, artwork and illustrations.
You can connect with Ziz on LinkedIn here.
Cooke Alum Brya Valdivia
Bryan Valdivia
2018 College Scholar, Tufts University
Bryan was just promoted to Senior Research Associate at Dyne Therapeutics, a biotechnology research firm focused on delivering functional improvement for people living with genetically driven neuromuscular diseases.
Bryan first joined the Dyne Therapeutics team in April 2023 as a Research Associate for Neuromuscular Research. In March 2025, Bryan’s team presented at the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s (MDA) Clinical & Scientific Conference. Their poster presentation was titled, “FORCE Platform Achieves Robust and Durable DUX4 Suppression and Improves Muscle Function in a Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Mouse Model.”
You can connect with Bryan on LinkedIn here.
Submit an Internship for Cooke Scholars!
As we near summer, we are calling on Alums to give back to the community by connecting Scholars to career-building internships for summer 2026 and beyond.
How to Participate:
Share an Opportunity by sending us details about the summer internship(s) you would like to advertise to Cooke Scholars.
We will promote your internship opportunities to our talent pool of Cooke Scholars via our Job Board, LinkedIn group, and other targeted communications.
We will alert you and/or the hiring manager of any Cooke Scholars who indicate they are applying for your internships.
You or the hiring manager hire the candidate who best fits your needs.
Not sure if you have an internship opportunity to share? Have questions about how to connect Scholars to internships in your company? Contact us to brainstorm ideas and answer questions.
Participate in our first Community Book Club led by the Alumni Engagement Council
The Alumni Engagement Council, in partnership with Thrive Together, invites you to join our upcoming Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Community Book Club. This initiative is designed as a shared space for thoughtful conversation, reflection, and connection across our community.
WHAT
Melissa Osborne, PhD, Polished: College, Class, and the Burdens of Social Mobility
WHEN
Wednesday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
If they are participating, Chapter Leaders will share details for local meetups, and the online webinar will be available to ensure all members of the community can participate, regardless of location. Register for the online webinar here.
WHERE TO PROCURE THE BOOK
The book can be found here (you can use the code UCPNEW for 30% off on the UChicago press website).
WHY JOIN
This book club offers an opportunity to think together about questions that resonate deeply within our community. Dr. Osborne’s work explores education, class, and the lived realities of social mobility; inviting reflection, conversation, and a deeper understanding of shared and differing experiences. Our goal is to foster meaningful dialogue while strengthening connections across the Cooke community.
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.