2024 University of Baltimore Featherstone Scholars
Destiny Brooks is a senior majoring in psychology at The University of Baltimore. She’s the social media marketer for the Women of Color Association, the past secretary of the international student association, the president of the Society for Human Resources chapter, and a member of Omicron Delta Kappa honor society. She volunteers preparing and serving meals for the homeless and she’s a bell ringer for the Salvation Army. She also volunteers at both Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, Artscape and is a facilitator for the National Society of Leadership and Success. She is a recipient of the Beth Mizell Grit Award.
Sabrina Pereira, born and raised in India, is a junior at The University of Baltimore, majoring in legal studies and minoring in business management. She is the president of Phi Theta Kappa, the international college honor society. She previously served as president of the International Student Association, the vice president of public relations and vice president of operations of the Student Government Organization. As an Ethics Fellow at the Hoffberger Center at UBalt, she writes about the ethics of immigration. She also volunteers teaching English to immigrants. Sabrina hopes to pursue her Juris Doctor degree.
Rebekah Opher, a senior at The University of Baltimore, where she curated her own interdisciplinary studies program concentrating on criminal justice, psychology, and business administration with a specialization in real estate and economic development and a minor in history. She just returned from a global field studies trip in Morocco. She is the president of the Women of Color Student Association, the traditions coordinator of the Student Events Board, and the treasurer of several organizations, including Omicron Delta Kappa, Sigma Alpha Pi, and Nonprofit Management and Social Entrepreneurship. She has been named The University of Baltimore’s Langenberg Legacy Fellow to fight food insecurity. Rebekah seeks to start her nonprofit, Aunt Beck’s Place, by the end of 2024.
Tsion, from Ethiopia, is a senior at The University of Baltimore pursuing a bachelor of science in information systems and technology management. Tsion is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, Omicron Delta Kappa, an honor society, and Beta Alpha Psi, an international honor society for students majoring in accounting, finance and information systems. She has been on the Dean’s List for two consecutive years.
Daniel Addai, a native of Ghana, is a graduate student at The University of Baltimore, pursuing a master of science in Cyber Forensics. As President of the Criminal Justice and Forensic Studies Society and Vice President of the Cybersecurity Club, he has revitalized the society, transforming it into one of the top five most active student organizations on campus. Daniel founded Threat Combat, a non-profit in Ghana dedicated to bridging the cyber forensics skill gap among tertiary students and ensuring every member is job-ready upon graduation. He also serves as a Graduate Student Research Assistant, developing innovative cyber forensics concepts and solutions funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Department of Homeland Security. Daniel is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa honorary society. He is a regular columnist for tech blogs and newspapers.
Kasi Carter is a graduate student at The University of Baltimore pursuing an M.A. in Global Affairs and Human Security. She is a Humanitarian Assistance fellow at the Public Health Institute, working with migrant health programs in Colombia, Honduras, and Ecuador. She also works part-time as an immigration paralegal, working primarily with family-based and non-immigrant visas. Kasi has recently completed the Harvard Humanitarian Response Initiative Course. She hopes to become a Foreign Service Officer to improve diplomacy and to provide assistance to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals abroad.
Jabrea Harding, is a graduate student at The University of Baltimore pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Data Analytics. She’s a two time Featherstone College Scholarship Award winner. Jabrea is a UBalt Presidential Scholar. She has received nominations for the Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Society and Sigma Nu Tau Honor Society. She is a member of UBalt’s Women of Color Student Association, Black Student Union, and the National Society of Leadership and Success where she serves on the fundraising committee. During her undergraduate studies, she was involved in the Student Government Association, Tau Sigma National Honor Society and was named to the Dean’s List.
Danica Nelson is a junior at The University of Baltimore, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, Omicron Delta Kappa honor society, Student Government Association and the International Student Association. She’s been on the Dean’s list for two consecutive years and a member of the Helen P. Denit Honors Program. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in forensic psychology. Her goal is to work for the FBI as a Behavioral Analyst in the Crimes Against Children Unit.
Alicia Ryan is a senior at The University of Baltimore majoring in policy, politics, and international affairs with a minor in history in the accelerated master of public administration program. She is the president of the Student Government Association and the immediate past president of the UBalt Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa honors society. She is also a Helen P. Denit Honors Scholar. Alicia won the Sigma Alpha Omicron award and has been initiated into Pi Sigma Alpha, the political science Honors Society. Prior to returning to college, she was a domestic worker for fifteen years. She plans to use her degree to advocate for better worker protections in the United States, focused on expanding existing policies to cover all employees.
Ha My Tran a native of Vietnam, is a graduate student majoring in business and finance at The University of Baltimore. She is a lifetime member of Beta Alpha Psi, the honor organization for financial information professionals and serves as vice president of the Theta Iota Chapter at UBalt. Ha also participated in a global field study in France, in partnership with College de Paris, to earn a certification in “Doing Entrepreneurship in Europe.” She excelled in Business Analytics and Corporate Finance classes, where she can utilize data analysis to make decisions and manage financial risks.
Victoria Achumba, a native of the United States with Nigerian heritage, is a driven MBA graduate student concurrently pursuing a Juris Doctor degree at The University of Baltimore. She is the eldest of six siblings and a first-generation college student who demonstrates perseverance. She’s a UBalt Presidential Scholar and a Fannie Angelos Scholar at the University of Baltimore Law School. She serves as president of the National Council of Negro Women, chair of the Student Government Association Elections and a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. Victoria aspires to establish her own law firm and advocate for justice.
Kayla Tellington is a graduate student at The University of Baltimore majoring in creative writing. She is a high school English teacher. Kayla launched a small publishing house, KayTell Publishing, fueled by her personal mission to surface stories for emerging voices in the literary world. Through KayTell Publishing, she aspires to foster a community of passionate writers and readers who share a love for the captivating, the eerie, and the unexplored in literature.
2024 Morgan State University Featherstone Scholars
Oluwaseye Mary Onasanya a native of Nigeria, is a dedicated student at Morgan State University majoring in Biology. Oluwaseye’s passion for healthcare and research is evident through her experiences, including her role as a Certified Nursing Assistant and CPR License holder. She volunteers at the Med City Family Clinic gaining insights into patient care and community health. Oluwaseye’s career goal is to address healthcare disparities among underserved minority populations with a focus on maternal health and minority representation in academia.
Clyde Baidoo, a native of Ghana, is a junior and a computer major at Morgan State University. Clyde serves as an A.I researcher for the Artificial Intelligence Research Lab under the supervision of Dr. Timothy Oladunni, where he implements natural language processing for speech recognition systems and its inclusion for minority represented groups and datasets. He seeks to apply machine learning tools and algorithms to help solve gun violence, homelessness and educational equity in Baltimore City. He is currently a software engineering intern with the National Basketball Association, where he manages NBA mobile applications.
Michelle Nkrumah-Boateng, a native of Ghana, is an honors senior at Morgan State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Science and Systems. She is a Clara I. Adams Honors College scholar and has consistently received the Dean’s List recognition. 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
2024 Euodias E. Parker Scholar
Endia Evans is a graduate of Baltimore City College High School. She has maintained principal honor roll all four years. She is an incoming freshman at Spelman College where she will be a member of the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, majoring in Health Sciences on the pre-med track with a minor in dance. Endia aspires to go to medical school and become a pediatric anesthesiologist. Her extracurricular activities include the MERIT Health Leadership Academy, where she was able to shadow physicians at Johns Hopkins Hospital and developed a passion for addressing health disparities. Endia participated in research through the Johns Hopkins WISE internship where she spent 13 weeks as a lab intern at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and spent her summer working in the laboratory of behavioral neuroscience at the National Institutes of Aging. Endia has contributed to community outreach as a student leader for BioEYES, helping introduce middle school students to STEM. She also organized bake sales to raise money for the Maryland Food Bank, and she dances on the Knight Illusions Dance team at Baltimore City College, winning first place in the large group for two years.
Alfredo Hernandez is a senior at Stevenson University, majoring in business administration with a minor in real estate. His parents are from Florencia de Benito Juarez in Mexico. Hernandez transferred to Stevenson from Carroll Community College where he maintained a 3.8 GPA and received dean’s list honors for all five semesters. At Stevenson, he’s a proud member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the Dean’s list. He plans to pursue an internship during his final year so that he can break into the real estate market.
Estefany Blanco-Castro is an incoming freshman to the University of Maryland in Baltimore County. Her parents are from Zapopan, Mexico; Estefany is the second oldest of eight children. She graduated from North County High School with a 4.0 GPA where she was AP Scholar with Honors. She participated in Mock Trial, the National Art Honors Society, Taekwondo and Lego Robotics. As a student fond of reading history from a young age, she plans to embark in a career in history and the arts to align with her passion of guiding others to learn about its value.
2024 Louisiana State University Featherstone Scholars
Chandler McIntosh, a 21-year-old from Columbia, South Carolina, is a senior majoring in Mass Communications at Louisiana State University. As a second-semester senior, Chandler is anticipating graduation and law school. This summer, Chandler will fulfill a lifelong dream by attending the Olympics, thanks to the generous support of the Featherstone Scholarship Organization. With a deep interest in sports and global cultures, Chandler is not only excited to witness the athletic competitions but also to explore the rich history at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. Chandler plans to write a story on the museum, focusing on the events leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics and how athletes from various nations represent their countries with pride and excellence.
Aniya Hall, a native of the United States, is a junior at Louisiana State University pursuing a career in communications and public relations. She serves on the executive board of LSU’s Collegiate Club and works as a marketing intern for the LSU Alumni Association. In these roles, she focuses primarily on social media content creation but also contributes to email and print marketing materials, and assists with photography and videography at events. This summer, Aniya will study abroad in France with the Manship School of Mass Communication for their inaugural Olympics Project. While in France, she will create content and stories to share on social media and other platforms. Aniya’s passion lies in the realm of communication—whether through conversations, short-form videos, social media copy, graphics, or text messages. She aspires to work in marketing and public relations within the entertainment industry, specifically in music and sports. Her love for this field continues to grow with every opportunity she receives at LSU.
2024 Coppin State University Featherstone Scholars
Viviana Wamiru, a native of Kenya, is a senior at Coppin State University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology. She’s on the pre-med track with a minor in chemistry. Viviana is a multi-semester Dean’s honoree and a member of Beta Kappa Chi National Scientific Honors society and science and pre- Med clubs. She previously served as vice-president of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Viviana is driven by a deep commitment to closing the gap in biomedical research for Black people and people of color in the Global South. She strives to contribute to addressing health disparities and ensure that underrepresented communities receive the attention and resources necessary for inclusive scientific advancements. She aspires to obtain her PhD and work in biomedical research.
Samuel Adekoya, a native of Nigeria, is a junior at Coppin State University pursuing a bachelor of science in business Management. He’s been a three–time Dean list award recipient. Samuel is a student career advisory ambassador for the College of Business, a resident assistant and a peer mentor for freshman students. He’s an active member of the National Association for Black Accountants and The National Society for Leadership and Success. He served as a Charles Schwab Panel Moderator on “Demystifying Financial Planning.”
Md Mishkat, a native of Bangladesh, is pursuing a degree in Computer Science at Coppin State University, specializing in web development and algorithmic problem-solving. He’s on the Dean’s List and volunteers teaching high school students about computer science. As a computer science club member, he creates fun puzzle-solving coding problems to engage my other club members in coding. With a year of experience in Coppin’s IT department and as a teaching assistant in Computer Science, Md has honed skills in website development and instruction. He aspires to become a successful web developer.
Janay Rice, is a freshman and a Fanny Jackson Coppin Scholar at Coppin State University. She is pursuing a career in health information management and management information systems, with plans to become a licensed nursing home administrator. She is an active member of the National Society of Leadership and Success and also serves as vice president of the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society. She served as a teacher assistant and received multiple awards for academic excellence in the honors program. She will serve as a new student orientation leader this summer.
Amya Taylor is a senior at Coppin State University and a two-time Featherstone Scholarship Award recipient. As a first generation college student, Amya has been able to maintain a 3.7 GPA while pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing as an honors student. She is vice president of the Midwestern Madness Organization and a member of multiple honor societies including the dean’s list.
Logen Love, is an honors senior at Coppin State University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a certificate in Forensic Investigations. She’s a three time Featherstone College Scholarship Award recipient. She has maintained a 3.9 GPA and has made the Dean’s List every semester. After college, Logen plans on attending law school to obtain her Juris Doctor and become a defense attorney.
