Eleven grad students are Cooke Foundation Scholars

Eleven incoming Harvard graduate students recently joined 66 other scholars from across the globe to receive scholarships from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. These graduate scholarships cover tuition, room, board, fees, and books — up to $50,000 annually — for up to six years. The scholarships are among the most generous academic awards offered in the United States.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is a private, independent foundation established in 2000 by the estate of Jack Kent Cooke to help young people of exceptional promise reach their full potential through education. In particular, the foundation assists students with financial need.

This year’s Harvard Cooke Foundation Scholars are as follows:

Sa’ed A. Atshan is pursuing his master’s degree in public policy (M.P.P.) as another step toward a career where he envisions working for a U.S.-based international development organization to improve education, health care, governance, and other aspects of life in the Middle East.

Mariam Chughtai is excited about pursuing a master’s in international education policy at Harvard because members of the faculty share her interest in exploring the relationships among development, education policy, and social change in South Asia. While at the University, she will also pursue a Ph.D.

Kevin A. Curry is pursuing an M.P.P. degree and will focus his studies in international political economy and security.

Alexia De Vincentis will pursue a J.D./master in law and diplomacy joint-degree from Harvard Law School (HLS) and the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Tina M. George wants to help design public health policy and to educate activists who will push to see that policies are enforced. At Harvard, George is seeking M.D. and M.A. degrees.

Alla L. Jezmir attended Washington University in St. Louis as an undergraduate. At Harvard, she is pursuing an M.P.P. and intends to supplement her policy program with a master’s of business administration.

Hanseul Kang will seek a J.D. from HLS. She sees a potential for international law to be used by foreign policy practitioners to address issues from humanitarian intervention and nonproliferation to terrorism and global warming, among others.

Maliheh Paryavi is a graduate of the University of Maryland. At Harvard she is pursuing an advanced degree in public administration in international development to further her skills on a path to a Ph.D. in economics.

Jason R. Rafferty attended Bates College. At Harvard he will pursue M.D. and M.P.H. degrees.

Carissa A. Sharp is a graduate of the University of Oregon. Sharp will pursue a master’s in religious studies at Harvard with hopes of earning a Ph.D.

Crysela M. Smith is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is pursuing an M.D. at Harvard Medical School.