Katie Feldman

PROFILE: Although born in San Francisco, Katie Feldman lived most of her life in Vermont.  After finishing college in Connecticut, she is headed back to her birthplace in the “City by the Bay,” to attend graduate school at Academy of Art University. One of the original Young Scholars, Katie is in the third phase of her life as a Cooke Scholar. She was awarded a College Scholarship to attend Wesleyan University and is continuing her academic career.  Working toward an M.F.A., she hopes to become a video game designer. Despite a non-verbal learning disability, Katie was a Dean’s List student at Wesleyan—graduating with a double major in Psychology and East Asian Studies. She also speaks fluent Japanese and was active in ecological activities while living in New England.

INSPIRATION: Katie was inspired by the Foundation’s belief in her, despite her learning disability. “Because of it, there are things that don’t come easily to me, and in the past I was limited by my disability instead of empowered by my strengths,” Katie recalled. “Being a Cooke Scholar has helped and encouraged me to embrace my talents and deal with my weaknesses.”

ASPIRATION: It is difficult to describe this Cooke Scholar in just a few words. She’s both skillful and knowledgeable in many disciplines: martial arts, Asian culture, ecology, art, writing, video production and technology to name a few. Katie possesses the perfect resume for a future career in computer game design. “I believe that it offers a unique mix of different disciplines–a mix that represents my own interests and talents incredibly well,” she said.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE:   “Save the Salamanders!” That’s the name of both a non-profit organization Katie began as well as an ecological battle cry. She organized this environmental awareness program during her high school and college years to help preserve local New England fauna. The premise was simple: each spring evening during salamander migration, Katie and a band of local volunteers patrolled highways and roads, allowing the amphibians to cross safely and limit those killed by vehicles. “What I'm most proud of is that now, people will go out on their own every year, not only in my hometown but across the entire area,” she said.

ACCOLADES: Katie was awarded a Citation for Academic Accomplishment by the Vermont Board of Education, as well as the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. She was also named a University Scholar at Wesleyan.

INTERESTING FACT: Katie is about to test for a black sash in Shaolin Tiger-style Kung Fu.