August 2026
Cooke Alum presenters during the Cooke Talk session of Scholars Weekend 2026.
Compass Feature: Nasra Nimaga
2008 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2010 Graduate Scholar, Princeton University
Nasra became a Cooke Scholar in 2008, and studied Architecture as a Transfer Scholar at UCLA. She then went on to Princeton University as a Graduate Scholar, where she earned her Master of Arts in Architecture. In addition to being an amazing portrait photographer, Nasra currently works as a Senior Associate Design Architect at Perkins Eastman. In the below video, hear how Nasra made the transition from her community college to UCLA.
You can connect with Nasra on LinkedIn here.
Alumni Updates
Cooke Alum Angie Lopez
Angie Lopez
2014 Young Scholar; 2019 College Scholar; 2023 Graduate Scholar, Yale University
In September, Angie begins a year-long fellowship with the Marron Research Consortium, a partnership between The Museum of Modern Art and five regional graduate art history programs. The Marron Research Consortium hosts one MRC Fellow from each participating program annually to work with an experienced curator on scholarly curatorial projects at the Museum.
Angie shared, “I will be working in the Media and Performance department under curator Stuart Comer! I have never worked long-term in a professional museum setting so I am looking forward to gaining valuable work experience that will help me determine if curation is a good fit for me. I am especially excited to be working in Media and Performance and with someone as kind, well-regarded, and sharp as Stuart. I have so much to learn from him and from the entire department and I am greatly looking forward to being a part of such an intimate and ambitious team! On a personal note, my partner has committed to full-time long-term work in NYC so this opportunity has come at a perfect time. I am greatly looking forward to planting roots in a city I love.”
You can connect with Angie on LinkedIn here.
Stefani Davila
2022 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2024 Graduate Scholar, Harvard University
In May, Stefani officially stepped into a new role as the 11th Grade Scholars Advisor at SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity) Scholars Miami. For Stefani, this new role holds a special place in her heart because she remembers her own advisor reveal in high school.
“I still remember looking at our scholars and telling them, ‘Remember how I look right now, how I speak, and how happy and excited I am. This is a dream job for me. I hope every single one of you gets to feel this exciting mix of emotions as you achieve your dreams, and I will be right there with you on your journey.’”
Stefani has a deep commitment to educational access and the power of mentorship. The endless conversations she had with her students constantly reaffirmed her dedication to expanding educational opportunities and guiding students through mentorship and resources so they can achieve their sueños.
Stefani shared, “SEO holds a special place in my heart because back in high school, I didn’t have access to programs like this or to mentors. I had to navigate the educational system on my own, though always backed by the unconditional support of my familia. Becoming a mentor and building genuine connections with these students was a full-circle moment for me.”
You can connect with Stefani on LinkedIn here.
Rex Ledesma
2010 Young Scholar; 2015 College Scholar, University of Maryland
Cooke Alum Rex Ledesma
In March, Rex joined Poolside, a U.S.-based AI company delivering frontier open-weight foundation models purpose-built for software engineering, as a member of the engineering team.
“My work focuses on scaling our research infrastructure, which compose of core primitives that build up to a system that we call the Model Factory. The Model Factory is our internal platform that allows us to train, scale, and experiment with the models that we build,” said Rex. “Our research and Laguna family of models are publicly released in the open, and I’m excited for the new systems and applications built on top of our work. Intelligence is increasingly becoming an on-demand utility, and we want to ensure that our users have full sovereignty over this new resource.”
You can connect with Rex on LinkedIn here, and you can check his website here. He is open to sharing his engineering experiences and providing guidance on studies and internships to interested Scholars.
Juliet Kim
2009 Young Scholar; 2014 College Scholar; 2019 Graduate Scholar, New York University
Cooke Alum Juliet Kim
After completing a pediatric residence at Mass General Brigham, Juliet’s journey as a physician-in-training has come full circle.
Recently, Juliet began a Pediatric fellowship at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx, NY. The hospital has been ranked as one of the best children's hospitals in the nation for the 18th year in a row.
She describes it as, “in many ways, it feels like coming home.” Juliet grew up just a few blocks from the hospital and spent time volunteering there as a high school student. Returning now as a physician-in-training is especially meaningful, as it allows her to care for the community that helped shape her. She is excited to begin what she hopes will the chapter of her medical training while giving back to the place where journey first began.
You can connect with Juliet on LinkedIn here.
Career Advancement Team Updates - Celebrating Jennifer, Welcoming Dorothy
As Jennifer Krasilovsky begins a new chapter as Dean on the Higher Education team, we celebrate her contributions as Dean of Career Services at the Foundation over the past two years. Through her leadership of the Alumni Internship Program, Conference & Travel Stipend Program, and Summer Internship Stipend Program, Jennifer has made an impact on our Scholars, Alumni, and the Career Advancement team.
We are also pleased to welcome Dorothy Neher to the Career Advancement team. Dorothy brings experience in program operations, communications, and volunteer engagement. She will help administer and coordinate the Alumni Internship Program, Conference & Travel Stipend Program, and Summer Internship Stipend Program while supporting our broader Career Advancement and Alumni efforts.
Please congratulate Jennifer on her new role and welcome Dorothy to the Career Advancement team.
If you’re an Alum submitting an internship opportunity, you can email Dorothy directly at dneher@jkcf.org.
Thank You to our Scholars Weekend 2026 Alumni Mentors!
We wanted to give a special shoutout to the 86 Cooke Alums who generously served as mentors to our newest Scholars at Scholars Weekend 2026. They participated in the Career Pathways Exchange, connected with their Scholar buddies, led workshops throughout the weekend, and shared feedback around Alumni engagement.
These Alums brought joy, compassion, and a wealth of knowledge into the space. You made Scholars Weekend wonderful!
If you’re interested in attending Scholars Weekend 2027, please stay tuned for when the application opens in January.
Alumni Workshop Recording
During this workshop, Cooke Alums Mac Teng and Raymund Flandez shared candid reflections on what it’s really like to go through a layoff, from processing the emotional impact to making the most of time off. They discussed practical steps like filing for unemployment, reviewing your benefits, and refreshing your resume, as well as tips for staying grounded, reassessing your goals, and building a strong next chapter.
You can watch the recording here or below.
Add “Jack Kent Cooke Foundation” to the Education Section of LinkedIn
Do you have a LinkedIn profile? We’re encouraging all Scholars and Alumni to add the Foundation to the Education section of their LinkedIn. LinkedIn now has the functionality for users to use the “Alumni” section of education profiles as a directory.
Scholars and Alumni are easily able to sort through the “Alumni” listed and search via employer, location, college major, and field.
Click here to access the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation education page.
For instructions on how to add education to your LinkedIn, click 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.