A junior from the University of Virginia...

Kadeem Cooper

What's harder: preparing for Jeopardy! or cramming for a mid-term?
Definitely preparing for Jeopardy! It's--it covers such a wide range of topics that it's really hard to know what to study, uh, whereas when you cram for a midterm, you pretty much have an idea of where--where to go with it.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In ten years--in ten years hopefully I will be, uh, working in government. Maybe I'll be, uh, Hillary Clinton's deputy, or something like that. It depends if she's still around.

Do you think your major will give you an advantage in the College Championship?
I'm a politics major, so I'm hoping, uh, that it does give me an advantage. Politics is one of those things that applies to everything, uh, so hopefully, y'know, the mus--the music category will be about politics, the arts category will be about politics... I'm just, uh, hoping for some luck today.

Show your school spirit and tune in!

2009 College Championship quarterfinalist: $5,000.

20 and from Brooklyn, New York at the time of the College Championship.

Kadeem Cooper Blog Entry 2
May 11, 2009

Mathematically I was a long shot but for three games, I was still clinging to the chance of being a wild card. Eventually, it was clear that I wasn't going to make it and I was bummed. I talked to my family and they tried to cheer me up but I couldn't help but feel a little sad, less about the money and more about the lost chance to play again the next day. I went to the studio anyways and watched the other players compete. It was fun being in the audience and a lot less stressful. The games were all close and we were all at the edge of our seats. Eventually, it was over and we all were able to finally relax. It was over and we were all winners. The experience had been a great one. I don't know what I'm going to do with my winnings but I know that I won't have to live on a budget for the next few months. I can't wait to see how the show looks and my friends are all very excited to watch. My parents are going to tape the show for me so I'll always have a memento of the crazy experience that was being on Jeopardy!


Kadeem Cooper Blog Entry 1
May 4, 2009

Hi, I'm Kadeem Cooper from Brooklyn, NY and I am a student at the University of Virginia. I am a resident advisor and I actually decided to try out for Jeopardy! on a whim when I was watching the show one night in my dorm. Somehow I it through to the second part of the audition process. My friend Michelle was the only person willing to drive me to D.C. on a Saturday morning in November to audition. We woke up at 5am and drove to the hotel where the auditions were held. Michelle waited in a coffee shop while I took another test and filled out forms. For some reason I felt confident as we drove back home that I was going to be on the show.

A few months after my fateful trip to the nation's capitol, I got the call letting me know I was on the show. Even though I had irrationally thought I would be on the show, I was still in shock when I got off the phone. All of my residents were cheering because they were so excited for me. I called my parents to let them know and they freaked out as well. My residents tried to help me practice by asking me questions from old episodes but in general, I was so busy with school work that I didn't have much chance to study. The day before my flight to Los Angeles, it hit me that I was really going to compete in the Jeopardy! College Championship. I had no idea what to expect.

Kadeem appeared in the following archived game:
#5687, aired 2009-05-05 Kadeem Cooper vs. Scott Menke vs. Courtney Trezise 2009 College Championship quarterfinal game 2.

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