From left to right: Yvette Collard (Director of Scholarships), Laurie Platner, Jeana Travis, Rajvinder Kaur, Luke Henige, Haylee Luft, Quinn Skarich, Claire Agnew, Anna Owens (Co-Executive Director), & Rachel Osmer (Associate Director).
Each summer, the Cook Family Foundation partners with local nonprofit and government agencies to provide meaningful internships for current University of Michigan students from Shiawassee County. The Cook Fellows have been operating since 2013. The experience bolsters relationships with our nonprofit partners, who are in need of support, by providing funding for them to employ high caliber interns from Shiawassee County who want to give back to their community. The beauty of the Cook Fellows program is that it allows local students the opportunity to have an impactful experience while also providing services to local agencies. Nonprofits get to have some of the leaders and best working for them over the summer, and students get to dip their toes into the professional water. The Foundation sees this initiative as a win-win-win: for the Foundation, for our students, and for our community.
Health Department Director, Larry Johnson, and Claire Agnew
This summer the Foundation funded seven Fellows across the county. Each student interviewed and was hired at their placement through the partners’ process. The partners were able to interview students to find the best fit for their organization. We had Fellows at the Shiawassee Health Department, DeVries Nature Conservancy, Memorial Healthcare, and more. Each location provides a unique experience. Not only do the students get firsthand experience at their placement, they also get the opportunity to network with the Foundation and other Fellows throughout the summer. This networking provided the chance to share placement experiences and build connections that can continue back at the University of Michigan. At the end of the experience, all participants were surveyed to share insights about their time working in Shiawassee County. One hundred percent of 2025 Fellows would encourage and recommend this program to their peers. An additional insight from the survey showed that some students had their future plans affirmed from their experience this summer, while others found themselves wanting to explore different paths after their summer employment. This dichotomy is exactly why the Foundation does this work. Students get professional experience in a low risk environment; this helps students learn earlier if their current path is correct for them, or if their passion lies elsewhere.
Luke Henige and Memorial Researcher Monica
In addition to valuable professional experience, many of our Fellows report that the work they got to do was meaningful for their soul. One student stated that, “I realized that even while dentistry is my career path, art and creativity still have so much value in my life. Continuing to nurture those aspects of myself will be critical to find balance and fulfillment in my life.” This statement emphasizes the importance of empowering students to explore their passions, while also encouraging their professional growth. We recognize that each student’s journey is unique, and we plan to continue to help them explore their passions and grow professionally as the Cook Fellows program continues year after year.
This summer the following organizations had the opportunity to host a Fellow:
- The ARC Mid-Michigan – Laurie Platner
- DeVries Nature Conservancy – Haylee Luft
- Memorial Healthcare in Owosso – Luke Henige
- Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership – Rajvinder Kaur
- Shiawassee Health & Wellness – Jeana Travis
- Shiawassee Arts Center – Quinn Skarich
- Shiawassee Health Department – Claire Agnew
Thank you to all who contributed to make this a meaningful experience this summer!
