Cooke Alumni Currents - September 2026
This edition of the Cooke Alumni Currents features the semifinalists for the 2026 Cooke 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 award recipients and semifinalists represent the incredible talent, resilience, and vision within the Cooke Scholar community. Stay tuned for the next blog post featuring the 2026 Cooke Scholar & Alumni Award recipients.
2026 Alumni Award Semifinalists
Colby King
– 2018 College Scholar, Columbia University
Colby founded the Kiki Arts Collaborative, connecting the Kiki scene to New York City’s cultural institutions. He 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. Colby executive produced the first podcast dedicated to the Kiki scene, reaching 100,000+ listeners. 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 David Prize. His work ensures queer and trans artists of color are not only visible, but resourced and positioned as cultural leaders.
Monique Madan
– 2012 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2018 Graduate Scholar, Harvard University
Monique founded Two Can Be True, an investigative journalism platform 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.
2026 Scholar Award Semifinalists
Joseph Awad
– 2024 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar; 2026 Graduate Scholar, University of Miami
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 articles, both under review and published, 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.
Jordan Evans
– 2014 Young Scholar; 2019 College Scholar; 2026 Graduate Scholar, Washington University in St. Louis
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. 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, culminating in her honors thesis on spiritual dimensions of care.
Angel Ndubisi
– 2022 College Scholar; 2026 Graduate Scholar, Yale University
Angel founded the Global Health Reform Initiative, 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 helps build durable systems that expand access and long-term stability.
For more, check out the September edition of the Alumni Buzz.