Michael A. Cook
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Michael graduated in 2015 from the University of Wisconsin Madison with dual degrees: B.S. of Zoology and B.S. of Conservation Biology. While there, he explored his interests by furthering his study towards certificates in Global Health, Environmental Studies, and Leadership.
Outside of the classroom, Michael cherished his time as a section leader and trumpet player in the UW Marching Band. He was lucky enough to travel to two Rose Bowls and a Basketball National Championship.
Michael worked and volunteered at a variety of local organizations: Kajsiab House at Mendota Mental Health Center, Sarvodaya USA, Colombia Support Network, and the university's orientation program SOAR. His freshman year, Michael was lucky enough to be chosen to participate on a short study abroad program to Jaíbon in the Dominican Republic where he learned about the correlations of history, poverty, and health. Michael then continued his global experience by interning for Caritas Intl. in Padova, Italy where he worked on a set of community outreach projects as part of an international student team to raise awareness about the circumstances leading to poverty.
Michael also furthered his love for languages throughout his college career. Being of Colombian heritage, Michael grew up bilingual in Spanish and English. He then continued studying romance languages including Italian, Portuguese, and French. Michael has also studied Arabic, but is still at an elementary level and finds any reason to practice. His next language he is planning to master is Malagasy.
Michael will be using Malagasy as he serves in the Peace Corps in Madagascar from February 2016 to May 2018 as a Community Health Worker. He hopes to learn much about public health, experience Malagasy culture, be part of conservation efforts on the island, and see the beautiful diversity that only Madagascar has to offer.
After the Peace Corps, Michael plans to pursue a Master in Public Health with an emphasis on Global Health or Tropical Infectious Disease. He hopes to combine his loves for travel, international culture, language, and health towards a career in the Public Health field.
Feel free to contact Michael to share stories, talk about similar interests, and to brainstorm ideas to create a better tomorrow.
On, Wisconsin!