Frankie Cordero, Emmy-nominated puppeteer and Oak Park resident, was honored with the 2025 National TRIO Achiever Award, one of the highest honors presented by the Council for Opportunity in Education, during the Educational Opportunity Awards Dinner in Chicago on Sept. 9.
TRIO is a federally funded student services program that helps low-income and first- generation students achieve a college degree. The annual award is presented to TRIO Program alumni who have overcome adversity to achieve excellence in their professional lives and communities. Past recipients include actress Viola Davis, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia and author Sarah Smarsh.
Cordero is an alumnus of the University of Connecticut, where he was involved in the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program. While pursuing his bachelor’s degree in puppetry, he survived a near fatal hit-and-run accident and persevered in his determination to be a puppeteer.
Cordero is best known for his work on Sesame Street, where he brings to life the beloved character Rudy Monster, and on Fred Rogers/PBS Kids’ Donkey Hodie, where he plays Purple Panda. A puppeteer for two decades, his credits include work for The Jim Henson Company, Fred Rogers Productions, The Tonight Show, CSI: Las Vegas and Frankie and Frank.
“I would not have been able to authentically tell stories as a performer without the academic knowledge and life experiences I gained through the Student Support Services program. At a time when federal funding for public broadcasting and organizations like TRIO is under threat, I feel that we must support them more than ever to ensure that education is in greater reach for the disadvantaged,” Cordero said during his acceptance speech.