Featherstone College Scholars at The University of Baltimore
Ouranitsa Abbas is a rising fourth-year dual-degree student working towards her Juris Doctor degree and a masters’ degree in negotiations and conflict management. Throughout her law and graduate school career, Ouranitsa has worked and interned extensively in the community in the immigration legal services and criminal defense fields, winning several fellowship awards to fund her service learning opportunities. She is a Royal Graham Shannonhouse III Honor Society Distinguished Scholar, an academic success mentor and Immigration Law Association Peer Mentor. She will graduate in May 2024.
Tolani Agbaje, a native of Nigeria, is a junior at The University of Baltimore pursuing a bachelor of science in applied information technology. He recently became a fellow of the Transform Mid-Atlantic Cohory, a year-long fellowship that offers students high impact opportunities to develop their leadership skills and community engagement. Agbaje is also a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success Honor Society and received the Laurence Short Academic Award for International Students. He works as an assistant at the University of Baltimore’s Center for Student Engagement and Inclusion. In addition, Tolani was awarded a Turner Research grant and is a member of the Helen P. Denit honors society.
Isis Climes is a graduate student at The University of Baltimore pursuing a masters of fine arts in creative writing and publishing arts. At UBalt, Isis was the poetry editor of this year’s Welter Journal – the university’s student-run literary journal. She has a bachelor’s in broadcast journalism from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University and was an assistant news editor of The FAMUan, the university’s student-led publication. She’s passionate about literature and aims to become a publishing editor after graduation.
Jabrea Harding is a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in business administration with a specialization in data analytics with a 3.73 GPA. Harding graduated from Towson University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialization in entrepreneurship. During her undergraduate career, she was a senator in the student government association, nominated for the Tau Sigma National Honor Society and a multi-year Dean’s list award recipient. She has taken on leadership roles in several extracurricular activities, clubs and programs such as Women in Business, etc. She hopes to utilize her degree and extensive experience to become a business analyst or a data analyst.
Loren Nelson, a native of Baltimore, is a graduate student in The University of Baltimore’s Nonprofit Management and Social Entrepreneurship Program. She’s a member of UBalt’s Helen P. Denit Honors Program, The National Society for Leadership and Success, the Human Services Club, and the Women of Color Student Association. She’s won countless awards, including UB’s Beth Mizell Grit ‘Eubie’ Award, Colvin Scholarship, and a three-time Featherstone Award Recipient. In December 2021, she earned her B.A. in human services administration graduating Summa Cum Laude with a 3.97 GPA and delivering the commencement speech. During undergrad, Loren served as the vice president and marketing Coordinator of UB’s Student Events Board.. She’s now the current president of the Nonprofit Management & Social Entrepreneurship Club. She’s consistently been on the dean’s list each semester for both undergrad and graduate school. Nelson is an entrepreneur. She founded The Glow Forward Foundation – a local nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of young and single mothers through advocacy, education, and life skills. She will graduate in spring 2024.
Elizabeth Ogun is an honors scholar at The University of Baltimore, majoring in politics, policies, and international affairs. She has a passion for helping the most vulnerable people in our society. She has received numerous awards for academic excellence, including the Dean’s list. She works as a data analyst at the Baltimore City Mayors’ Office of Child and family success. Alongside being a full-time city employee, she currently holds the title of Miss Greater Baltimore title under the Miss America Organization. She is utilizing her year of service to advocate for equal access to resources and opportunities in Baltimore.
Camila Rêgo, a native of Brazil, is a second-year graduate student at The University of Baltimore pursuing an M.B.A in management and leadership. She’s a two time Featherstone Scholarship Award recipient. Camila has an associate degree in Business Administration from the Community College of Baltimore County, with outstanding academic performance and being named to the Dean’s List every semester. She has also obtained a bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing from the University of Potiguar in Brazil. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, an international college honor society and an advocate for immigrants and women.
Mohamed Sako, a native of Cote d’Ivoire, is a junior at The University of Baltimore pursuing a career in legal studies. He is the Muslim student association president, vice president of the African student union, and a National Society of Leadership and Success, member of Lambda Epsilon Chi national honor society for paralegal students – and was a member of the Dean list for Montgomery College, prior to attending UBalt. He is a student worker in the diversity and international services office where he supports different events across the campus to educate others about different cultures. After graduation, he plans to attend law school and become a corporate lawyer to help small businesses facing legal issues.
Yash Sharma, a native of India, is a senior at The University of Baltimore, pursuing a degree in applied information technology with a concentration in cybersecurity. He’s a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, an Honors’ Students and the Students Events Board. His journey has been marked by a relentless pursuit of knowledge and a desire to gain hands-on experience with market-leading software and system technologies. Yash has leveraged his programming skills to create interactive gaming apps for preschool children.
Govinda Upadhyay, a native of Nepal, is a senior at The University of Baltimore pursuing a career in Applied Information technology with a cybersecurity concentration. He is an active member of the Student Events board and serves as an Inducted member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. He is a UBalt “High Honor” member and participates in programs organized by the Helen P. Denit Honors Program. He’s a member of the Dean’s List, the Honors programs, a lifetime member of the national honors society and Phi Theta Kappa honors societies. He received the “Short Laurence Academic Award” and will accept his invitation to join Omicron Delta kappa (ODK) Honor Society. Govinda demonstrates his collaborative and solution-oriented approach by engaging in coding competitions and hackathons.
Featherstone HBCU Scholars at Coppin State University
Annalyse Belton, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, is a senior at Coppin State University majoring in pre-medical biology with a minor in chemistry. She is a member of her university’s Honors College, maintaining a consecutive 4.0 GPA.She has been selected as a White House HBCU Scholar to represent Coppin State University nationally. Belton plans to become a physician who researches cancer health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities in the U.S. and the Caribbean. Her passion has led her to complete two different internships. In the internship at NASA, Annalys studied atmospheric particles and their effects on lung cancer development, and more recently, one with the University of Maryland Baltimore Research Center, where she worked on testing chemotherapy treatments in combination with a new drug that induces cell death in cancer. She’s received numerous awards, such as the Ambassador of the Year Award, Commitment to Excellence Award, Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, and Junior of the Year Award from Coppin State University’s Honors Program.
Sharon Brodie, is a native of the United Kingdom. For the last 30 years, she has worked as a LPN in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, wound care nursing and private duty. As a charge nurse, she’s trained over 50 nurses to care for our most vulnerable patients on ventilators. She’s now taking her professional experience to Coppin State as a sophomore and pre-nursing student. After graduation, her goal is to own a non-profit that helps impoverished single moms with babysitting, offer parenting classes and disperse necessary resources to help raise successful children in our community. She volunteers on Saturdays to teach and feed 5 to 10-year-olds in Reisterstown.
Mia Henson, a native of Baltimore, is a first generation college student. In 2009, Henson received her bachelor’s degree from Coppin State University in criminal justice. She then obtained her master’s degree in social work from Morgan State University where she was indoctrinated into the Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society. She’s now back at CSU as a senior pursuing a career in nursing. In 2018, she founded a nonprofit organization, the Charlean’s Angels Foundation Inc, based in Baltimore and operating in Ghana, that aims to support underprivileged youth who are at high-risk for violence and sexual assaults. Mia traveled to West Africa to provide a 3-day program for caregivers and social workers. She educated them on trauma-informed care for at-risk youth. Mia has donated over 500 books to facilities in Ghana, including The Osu Juvenile Correction Facility and Osu Children’s Home.
Tochi Iwuji, a native of Nigeria, is a senior at Coppin State University, pursuing a bachelor of science in biology with a minor in chemistry and aspires to work in the medical field. She is an active Beta Kappa Chi National Scientific Honors Society member and the Pre-Med Club. Tochi was a member of the first cohort of NASA’s Student Airborne Science Activation Program. Tochi is currently a NOAA Ernest Hollings Scholar. In this position over the summer, her work has involved research on the health impacts of harmful algae blooms and improving community awareness and involvement methods. She mentors students in the Our House program to help increase retention rates among incoming first-year students. Tochi is working in the university’s Laboratory for Environmental Contaminants, researching ways to remove harmful contaminants from Baltimore waters.
Logen Love is a junior at Coppin State University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and receiving a certificate alongside her degree in Forensic Investigations. Loren has been an active member of Our House, a mentoring program and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She has maintained a 4.0 GPA and the Honors College awarded her the Unsung Award at its annual End-of-Year Recognition Ceremony. She’s been awarded by the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences for making the Dean’s List every semester. She’s been inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society. She has completed approximately 90 hours of community service including preparing bagged lunches for local homeless people and my city’s annual Special Olympics. In high school, she was the Salutatorian for her graduating class, Homecoming Queen and received several athletic accolades including being selected 1st Team All-City in basketball and volleyball.
Abdul Sesay is an incoming freshman at Coppin State University. In high school, Sesay was on the honor roll every quarter since freshman year and was nominated for national juniors honor society every year. He was a member of the debate team and participated in numerous science fairs. In 2021, he won the regional track and field championship. He previously held the county and state record for track and field in 4×4 and his cross country team also won the regionals and counties in 2022. He’s an entrepreneur and has founded a clothing line called “SoloWrldwide” where he designers, manufactures and ships clothing to his customers. His company has a strong social media presence on Instagram.
Amya Taylor is a rising junior at Coppin State University. As a first-generation college student, she is an honors student pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing. Amya has maintained a 3.95 cumulative GPA as a Fanny Jackson Coppin Scholar. She has received many awards, including Sophomore Student of the Year with the Honors Program, the Honors Program Unsung Award, and Dean’s List both first and second years. She has completed 25 hours of community service with Coppin Academy. She is an active member of Coppin’s NAACP chapter, served as the sophomore recorder for the Honors Program Student Council, and plans to serve as vice president of the new Midwest Madness organization this fall.
Shenelle Tomlinson is a graduate student at Coppin State University enrolled in the criminal justice master’s program. She’s received numerous accolades including the Dean’s list, honors academics, and has maintained high standard GPAs. She’s a four time recipient of the MEAC all academic honors. On the track, she has helped the women’s break records.She has broken the individual 600 meter school record, along with the indoor and outdoor 4×400 meter record.
Simone Wade is a senior at Coppin State University pursuing a career in psychology and substance Abuse. She is an active member of the PSI CHI, an International Honor Society in Psychology. She’s been on the Honor Roll, the Principle Roll, and the Dean’s List. In 2020, Wade was the valedictorian of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. Wade now serves as a program senator in the Psychology Department – and also works at Mercy Hospital as a certified nursing assistant – supporting patients with mental illnesses. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree, Wade plans to attend the University of Maryland’s School of Social Work. She hopes that as a social worker, she will be able to help people with everyday challenges and make a change in the community.
Featherstone HBCU Scholars at Morgan State University
Abisola Arowolaju, a native Nigeria, is pursuing her undergraduate studies at Morgan State University. Initially aspiring to become a medical doctor, Abisola boldly decided two years ago to switch her focus and pursue a degree in computer science. This field sparked her curiosity and captivated her interest. She actively engages in various activities and has participated in multiple award-winning hackathons, showcasing her innovative problem-solving skills and practical teamwork abilities. Previously, she worked as a Software Engineer intern at Dropbox, contributing to developing cutting-edge software solutions. Currently, she holds the position of Quality Assurance Engineer at CVENT, playing a crucial role in ensuring the delivery of high-quality products through rigorous testing and efficient quality control processes. Abisola plans to further her education in data science. She’s received the Best Student in Computer Science Award for two consecutive years and has been on the dean’s list. Her future aspirations include pursuing a master’s and Ph.D. degree in the field, aiming to delve deeper into advanced analytics and contribute to its ever-evolving landscape.
Clyde Baidoo, a native of Ghana, is pursuing a degree in Computer Science at Morgan State University, with a strong passion for science and technology. He is skilled in applying critical and analytical thinking to produce optimized engineering and computerized innovations. He is productive, reliable and thrives in an environment where teamwork and tolerance are embraced. His fascination with Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning significantly secured him a role in a research-based project with Dr. Carl White, a Morgan State University A.I. researching a NASA-assisted program geared toward improving technology in education. He is currently interning with the Center for Equitable Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Systems on projects designed to use Computer Vision to monitor and improve the general livelihood of Senior citizens. He’s been on the dean’s list and serves in leadership roles in organizations such as the National Society of Black Engineers, Rocketry Club, African Students Association and Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals.
Iyana Gross is a senior at Morgan State University pursuing a B.S. in biology with a double minor in chemistry and women and gender studies. Gross was a Chicago EYES on Cancer Research Scholar at The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center. She has held two internships with The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, where she focused on science translation and communication plans. She has been a speaker at The Aspen Ideas Festival and many other conferences. She successfully completed an internship at Johns Hopkins Cancer Research Center. In the upcoming year, she will serve as the vice president of research productivity for The Student Research Center. She is a Peer Bear Mentor at Morgan State who helps mentor incoming first-year students. She received a presentation award during the annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists – and an undergraduate award from the American Association for Cancer Research. She’s consistently been on the Dean’s List.
Desiree Lane is a Morgan State University senior pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She is a two-time award-winning Featherstone scholar. She has also been inducted into the national honor society. She was one of 30 students selected into the MERIT Health Leadership Academy to participate in the three-year longitudinal program for Baltimore City students interested in the health care professions. She is certified as a youth community health worker through the Morehouse School of Medicine. She has presented her Alzheimer’s and adverse childhood experiences research at the Johns Hopkins C.A.R.E.S. Symposium and has given other research presentations. Desiree is also a research assistant in the study “Exploring the Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Social Work Education.” Currently, Desiree is working on a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program, which was grant funded by the Entrepreneurial Development and Assistance Center, she works with the Office of Residence Life & Housing, and she is completing an internship at a micro level social work center.
Michelle Nkrumah-Boateng, a native of Ghana, is an honors junior at Morgan State University pursuing a bachelor of science degree in Information Science and Systems. She is a Clara I. Adams Honors College scholar, has consistently received the Dean’s List recognition and received the Academic Achievement Trailblazer Award. She has been an active member of the Women in Computer Science Organization and the Association of Information Technology Professionals at her university. She serves as treasurer and social media manager for the Morgan State University chapter of Believers Loveworld Oasis Organization. Michelle also competed in the JP Morgan Chase & Co. Data for Good Hackathon, where she worked collaboratively for 24 hours to create data-driven solutions. Michelle concluded a rigorous data and operations internship at UpSurge Baltimore, where she was immersed in the City’s growing tech startup ecosystem. She contributed to the transformation of their data and systems to improve efficiency and gathered valuable insights through data analysis and visualization.
Ekei Obu, a native of Nigeria, is an incoming freshman at Morgan State University pursuing a career in journalism. She is an avid storyteller and has been a passionate journalism student since she published her first article in the Hereford High School newspaper. During her senior year, she ascended to become the editor-in-chief of the Patterson High Press. In this position, she worked with other students to create articles for the school’s newspaper. She successfully wrote broadcast scripts for the school morning news announcement and published her report on the front page of Patterson Press newspapers. She served on the Maryland Youth and government board and was on the dean’s list.
Featherstone College Scholars in Partnership with the Embassy of Mexico
Jessica Hernandez, a native of Mexico, is a senior at Stevenson University. Originally from Florencia de Benito Juárez, Mexico, her family immigrated to the U.S. for economic opportunities. Hernandez has been inducted into the National Arts Honors Society, where she created original art pieces that raised money for her school and first-hand artistic experience. She is certified in print production from the Carroll County Careers and Technology Center. She’s a two-time Featherstone College Scholarship Award Recipient. After graduation, she aspires to pursue a career as a graphic designer in publishing.
Chris Jacome is an incoming freshman at the University of Maryland, College Park. With his acceptance into the Smith Business School, he’s pursuing a career in international business. As an honor roll student in high school, he successfully maintained a 4.5 weighted GPA. He served as captain of the high school soccer team. He also played competitive volleyball and swimming. Jacome also volunteers within his community and supports those most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic – from food drives to collecting donations, he dedicates his time to give back to the community.
Samuel Juarez, a native of Mexico, is a passionate individual driven by a burning desire to overcome challenges and create a better future for himself and his family. He’s a junior at The University of Baltimore majoring in business administration. As the first member of his family to pursue a college education, he is breaking new ground and setting a path for others to follow. During high school at Don Bosco Cristo Rey, he consistently achieved a place on the Principal’s List for four consecutive years. Samuel was also a student ambassador. He connected with his peers in that role, mentoring younger students and contributing to the school community. Samuel continues to overcome barriers while furthering his education and adding to his accomplishments.
Euodias E. Parker Scholars
Martina Booker, a Baltimore native, is a graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. Booker is an incoming freshman at Saint Mary’s Honor College of Maryland pursuing a degree in Chemistry and a minor in Chinese. She is the recipient of the National American Legion Scholastic Award, the National Sojourner Award and the National Celebrate Freedom Foundation Award. At Poly, she served in several leadership positions in the ROTC such as the Flight Element Leader, Flight Commander, -Flight First Sergeant, Armed Drill Commander, the-Kitty Hawk Commande and many other ranks. She received a medical internship through the prestigious MERIT Health leadership program. She plans to become a medical examiner. She’s an entrepreneur and is the co-founder of Starlings Inc., an online production company. And to top it all off, she participates in archery.
Jordan Richburg is a graduate of Baltimore City College High School and an honor roll student She is an incoming freshman pursuing a career in nursing at Frostburg State University. Her leadership has taken her to pursue extracurricular activities such as the Baltimore City Junior State’s Attorney Summer Program. She works at Charlestown Erickson Living Community, where she helped develop a better understanding of compassionate caregiving of older adults. Richburg is enrolled in a Firefighter Early Entry Program. She meets with volunteer firefighters and learns the basics of Firefighting, like tying a rope, first aid, AED, CPR, and placements on the fire truck.She’s an accomplished gymnast and has received awards for her victories. She worked at Fulton Bank this summer as an intern.
