The Alumni Engagement Council

Ferdinando J. Castro Gonzalez

2021 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Columbia University

Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez is a passionate advocate for service, mentorship, and inclusive excellence. Originally from Venezuela, his purpose-driven journey has centered on building systems of support for underserved communities. As a former professional athlete, he brings teamwork and communication skills to his role on the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Alumni Engagement Council, where he works to strengthen student success and alumni involvement. Ferdinando has led high-impact initiatives across Texas and New York, including raising over $20,000 in scholarship funds in one year and organizing international conferences for first-generation and minority students. At Columbia University, he served as President of the United Nations Association chapter and co-founded the Venezuelan Student Association, earning recognition from UN officials for advancing multilingualism and multilateralism in human rights. He chaired statewide student reform efforts in Texas and held multiple leadership roles at Columbia, including Legislative Assistant to a University Senator and Director of Outreach for the Interschool Governing Board. His service has been recognized with the U.S. Volunteer Service Award and multiple university honors. Currently, Ferdinando advises the African American Redress Network on legislation and has just funded an NGO that focuses on education in Venezuela. He is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections between students and alumni, and to contributing to a legacy of equity, opportunity, and lasting impact.

yanelle cruz bonilla

2017 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Tufts University; 2020 Graduate Scholar, Oxford University

Yanelle is a Qualitative Research Analyst at Rewiring America. She works on research supporting the organization's mission of electrifying every American household while pursuing environmental justice and also leads the organization's program monitoring and evaluation. She has a BA in sociology from Tufts University, an MSc in Migration Studies, and an MPhil in Evidence-Based Social Integration and Policy Evaluation from the University of Oxford. Born in Honduras, Yanelle resides in Washington, DC. In her free time, she enjoys going to the movies, seeing live theatre, making pottery, going to museum events, and going on walks all around the city.

Marie febrillet

2020 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Columbia University/School of General Studies

Marie graduated Columbia University with a degree in Sustainable Development in 2023. Before Columbia, she attended Passaic County Community College in New Jersey, and was actually the first person from her school to become a Cooke Scholar. Marie is currently based in New York City.

Josue Fernando Luna

2018 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2024 Graduate Scholar, University of Southern California

Josue is an engineer with experiences in optics research, materials science research, and industrial product development. Josue's recent professional experience was working and studying abroad in Germany through a fully-funded fellowship. His research experience while in Germany, was in the field of 3D Nanometrology, an area that focuses on precise measurements at the nanoscale level. Josue has succeeded in government-funded educational programs including the McNair Scholars Program and the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals. As a strong believer of paying it forward, Josue has done many mentorship roles throughout many educational programs in community college and undergraduate studies. He intends to continue this passion throughout his professional career. During his free time, Josue enjoys photography, reading comics, online gaming, and marathon training.

JONATHAN FINNERTY

2015 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Rutgers University; 2017 Graduate Scholar, University of Tennessee

Jonathan is currently a faculty member at Middlesex College, where he teaches philosophy. Prior, he worked at Princeton University's Department of Art & Archaeology as an administrator. His teaching experience includes courses on philosophy, ethics, and history. Jonathan has been an advocate for making higher education more accessible to marginalized communities and works with colleges and universities to develop and maintain diversity and inclusion initiatives. Through mentoring and advising, Jonathan also directly serves the student populations that he advocates for.

Maile harris

2018 College Scholar, Yale University

An avid maker, science communicator, and astronomy enthusiast, Maile was inspired to pursue a career in physics because of her love of Star Trek. Throughout her undergrad, she prototyped novel telescope calibration systems in a radio astronomy instrumentation lab at Yale, and worked to increase accessibility of STEM education for young learners by developing planetarium show content and at-home science demonstrations for the Smithsonian. Currently, she is a researcher at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, contributing solutions to critical security challenges facing the nation. Outside of the lab, Maile can be found ballroom dancing, or in a tree.

Eduardo hernandez

2022 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Stevens Institute of Technology

Eduardo is a recent Computer Science graduate from Stevens Institute of Technology. He has conducted research in AI and Data Science and has worked as a software engineer for startups in New York City. During his time at school, he was actively involved with the Latin American Association and also worked as a tutor and Teaching Assistant. He is passionate about teaching and enjoys studying and explaining computer science concepts. Eduardo is also dedicated to advocating for and creating opportunities for underrepresented minorities in STEM and higher education. In his free time, he enjoys running, playing soccer, and going to the gym.

xavier medina

2015 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Columbia University

Xavier currently works in the field of international and immigration law. Xavier will start law school in the fall of 2024. Prior to his current position, Xavier worked as a paralegal with a criminal law firm where he worked with individuals, attempting to navigate the criminal justice system during COVID, while trying to move on with their lives. Xavier is also interested in immigration and in advocating for undocumented students to have more opportunities for higher education. He also advises and mentors community college students so that they too can realize their educational potential. Xavier is a single dad to his 5 year old daughter and enjoys going on adventures with her into NYC. During his free time he loves to read and spend time with his dog Junior.

sakshi sehgal

2018 College Scholar; 2021 Graduate Scholar, Medical College of Georgia

Sakshi Sehgal (she/her) is a fourth-year medical student at the Medical College of Georgia. She graduated in 2021 from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor's and Master's of Arts in Philosophy with a Minor in Chemistry, and in 2022 from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University with a Master's in Public Health in Healthcare Management. She is passionate about mentorship and public service and enjoys mentoring younger students and Jack Kent Cooke Scholars, particularly those interested in medicine and public health. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, family, and her dog, as well as painting and trying new restaurants.

BÉRÉNICE SYLVERAIN

2018 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Columbia University; 2021 Graduate Scholar, University of Southern California

Bérénice Sylverain is a 2018 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar and a 2021 JKCF Graduate Scholar. Bérénice received her Bachelor’s from Columbia University in the City of New York (Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa). She majored in English and Comparative Literature as an undergraduate and is also a graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) where she earned a Master of Management and a Master of Library and Information Science. Bérénice was a Marshall Scholar at the University of Oxford where she completed her studies (MSc) in Latin American Studies, focusing on rule of law, democratic governance, international relations, education, and human rights. In her free time, she enjoys equestrian sports such as polo, reading beautiful literature, traveling, and luxuriating in the jazzy and eclectic culture of New Orléans.

nadia vaso

2017 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2025 Graduate Scholar, Harvard University

Nadia was born and raised in Italy from Albanian parents and moved to the United States right before college. After being awarded the scholarship, she transferred to Columbia University where she studied political science and graduated in 2020. Upon graduating, Nadia joined and is still employed at CornerStone Partners, an outsourced chief investment office that serves a number of endowments, nonprofits and foundations, including the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. She is currently an investment associate, and her role primarily entails evaluating investments in private markets investment managers, more specifically in the venture capital space. Nadia loves spending her free time with her two dogs Mimi and Coco, going to Pilates, or watching movies and tv shows.

HOLLIE JOY WAGNER

2013 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, 2018 Graduate Scholar, University of Washington

Hollie is a public philosopher and nontraditional educator serving communities of all ages across the world. She has taught in independent schools, colleges, public schools, edtech companies, and nonprofits. Currently, she is a teacher and program developer at Synthesis and Nxtlvl - two innovative, international Edtech startups that utilize game-based learning, collaborative teamwork, and advanced critical thinking skills which foster robust civil dialogue for students ages 7-15. She also interned with Young Invincibles as a Policy Fellow advocating for college access for low-income and marginalized students. In addition, Hollie loves working with theater organizations that promote social change. Outside of these passions, you can often find her in a hammock reading science fiction novels.

AMAN WAHEED

2017 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, University of Virginia

Aman is a senior business analyst focused on cloud computing, DevOps, and scrum. He is a first-generation Afghan-American, raised in Northeast Philadelphia. He founded The Caring Consultants to help build bridges for low-income, first-generation, and nontraditional students to pursue the future career they desire. In his free time, Aman loves to run, train, and create delicious protein snacks.

meelod WAHEED

2022 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Pomona College

Meelod Waheed is a first-generation Afghan-American who graduated from Pomona College with a B.A. in Computer Science. During his time in school, he interned at NASA, where he developed simulation models to help students and educators learn more effectively. Meelod also explored his passion for technology by building a VR game that combines an immersive experience with fun physical activity. Today, he works as a software engineer at Nascent, a multi-strategy investment firm, focusing on building and creating tools within the decentralized finance space. With a background in product management, Meelod is committed to using his skills to drive innovation and make a positive impact. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and discovering new challenges.