September 2026
Cooke Alumni at Scholars Weekend 2026.
2026 Scholar & Alumni Awards
In this special edition of the Alumni Buzz, we recognize and celebrate the recipients and semi-finalists of the 2026 Scholar & Alumni Awards. Each year, these awards honor Cooke Scholars and Alumni who embody excellence, leadership, and a commitment to making a difference in their communities and fields. This year’s recipients and semi-finalists represent the incredible talent, resilience, and vision within our community. Join us in celebrating their achievements and the inspiring paths they continue to pave.
Learn more about our three 2026 award recipients in the videos below:
2026 Matthew J. Quinn Prize
Maria Martinez-Donaus
Paula Salazar Valiente
2026 Undergraduate Scholar Award, in honor of Dennis I. Belcher
Maurits Acosta
Submit a 2027 Summer Internship!
The Cooke Career Network is now accepting submissions for Summer 2027 internships. This is a great way to support Cooke Scholars by connecting them with meaningful professional development opportunities. Click here to submit and stay tuned for more information in our October issue.
Job Board for Cooke Alums
Welcome to our new job board for the Cooke community! Check out the below position shared by Cooke Alum Michael Cash.
Job Opportunities
DTCC - Product Owner Principal
The Principal Product Owner drives Platform FinOps activities and owns the Cloudaware product for cloud cost management and evidence enablement across AWS and Azure. Partnering with Central FinOps, IT Service Owners, and Engineering, Finance, Governance, Audit, and Application teams, this role provides FinOps expertise and executes key aspects of the cost management program, keeping cloud spend visible, optimized, and well governed while owning the Cloudaware roadmap, adoption, and lifecycle end to end.
Shared by Cooke Alum Michael Cash.
CornerStone Partners - Client Reporting & Accounting Associate
As part of CornerStone’s collaborative Client Operations & Accounting Team, the Client Reporting & Accounting Associate plays a key role in supporting nonprofit investment portfolios through performance reporting, financial analysis, and client service. This position is ideal for accounting or finance professionals who want to apply their technical accounting skills while developing expertise in investment reporting and portfolio analytics. The role provides exposure to a wide range of investment operations activities including portfolio performance analysis, private equity reporting, risk and liquidity monitoring, and investment-related audit and tax support.
CornerStone Partners - Investment Analyst
CornerStone’s Investment Analyst program offers a unique opportunity to work closely with the senior members of an investment organization while completing meaningful investment work. CornerStone’s Investment Analyst program is anchored in building strong technical skills and investment judgment. This is achieved through training and development programs (both internal and external) as well as through project-based staffing CornerStone currently requires Investment Analysts to relocate to the Charlottesville area during the first year of employment.
If you have a job opportunity to share with fellow Cooke Alums, please email alumni@jkcf.org.
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.
We are very proud to recognize the 2026 award semi-finalists as well. From groundbreaking initiatives to community-based programs, the impact of their work is felt far and wide. Please read about these incredible individuals below:
2026 Alumni Award Semi-Finalists
Colby King
2018 College Scholar, Columbia University
Cooke Alum Colby King
Colby founded the Kiki Arts Collaborative (KAC), a nonprofit connecting the Kiki scene to New York City’s cultural institutions, including Columbia University, National Black Theatre, and BRIC. Colby has led cultural activations at American Express, where members of the Kiki ballroom scene became the first to teach and present within a Fortune 500 context.
He executive produced the first podcast dedicated to the Kiki scene, reaching 100,000+ listeners. Colby expanded funding access by securing first-time grants for ballroom houses and advancing artist opportunities. Through fellowships and programs, he has supported 150+ Black and brown LGBTQ+ artists with mentorship, paid opportunities, and career pathways. In 2025, Colby was awarded the prestigious David Prize. His work ensures queer and trans artists of color are not only visible, but resourced and positioned as cultural leaders.
Monique Urrutia
2012 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2018 Graduate Scholar, Harvard University
Cooke Alum Monique Urrutia
Monique founded Two Can Be True, an investigative platform later republished by outlets including The Guardian and The Miami Herald. Monique’s reporting examines how policy decisions impact housing stability, family unity, and safety, and has driven accountability across immigration, technology, and criminal justice. Her work has contributed to national investigations, prompted public action, and helped secure the release of a man held in an immigration detention center for over a decade. She also mentors journalists and was selected for ONA’s Women’s Leadership Accelerator, centering her work on amplifying and representing impacted communities.
2026 Scholar Award Semi-Finalists
Joseph Awad
2024 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2026 Graduate Scholar, University of Miami
Cooke Scholar Joseph Awad
Joseph founded and secured $19,000 for START, a research training program supporting 15 underserved community college students, where he serves as principal training director.
He also authored and contributed to 14 under-reviews and published articles on health inequities among marginalized populations. His research examines global health disparities from HIV outcomes in Myanmar and Thailand to diabetes care in Syria highlighting structural, social, and mental health barriers to treatment. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the LGBT Asylum Project, grounding his work in community-centered perspectives.
Jordan Evans
2014 Young Scholar; 2019 College Scholar; 2026 Graduate Scholar, Washington University in St. Louis
Cooke Scholar Jordan Evans
Jordan designed and led a 15-week therapeutic horticulture program called Grace Grows 501(c)(3) in partnership with the GRACE shelter in Florida, which supports individuals experiencing homelessness. She also expanded the program to include young girls impacted by housing instability. This 1.5-year initiative included funding, curriculum design, and partnerships, culminating in her honors thesis on spiritual dimensions of care.
The program improved food access, fostered community, and supported emotional regulation for participants, demonstrating the impact of integrating spiritual care into holistic social services. Through interdisciplinary study and 600+ internship hours toward HTR certification, Jordan identified a critical gap: the absence of intentional spiritual support in social services.
Angel Ndubisi
2022 College Scholar; 2026 Graduate Scholar, Yale University
Cooke Scholar Angel Ndubisi
Angel founded the Global Health Reform Initiative (GHRI), a 501(c)(3) advancing integrated care through telemedicine, mobile units, and transportation which is now launching a rural pilot program. Additionally, Angel developed organic chemistry resources for ChemTalk, expanding STEM access for under-resourced students.
Angel has driven meaningful change by transforming inequitable systems into scalable solutions across science, medicine, and public health. With 500+ research hours at Princeton and clinical genomics work in Paris, plus policy contributions through the UN OSRSG-CAAC, Angel’s work focuses on building durable systems that expand access and long-term stability.
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.