the journey - ron brown...ron brown scholar program. it underscores both goldman sachs’ commitment...
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Vol. 20, N0. 1The Journey SPRING 2015
Message From the Executive Director
Newsletter
Advisory Board
Board of Trustees
Melanie AveryDirector of Philanthropy, VeteransOn The Rise, Inc.
Michele BallantyneSVP, Federal Government and Industry Relations, Recording Industry Associationof America (RIAA)
Geraldine Barber HaleFinancial Manager
Norma BarfieldDirector of Development & Planning,Community Academy Public Charter Schools
Nicole K. BatesDeputy Director, Global HealthPolicy & Advocacy, Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation
Donielle Buie (Ron Brown Scholar 2000)EntrepreneurTerri DeanChief Membership Officer,Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
Ambassador Diana lady DouganChairman, Cyber Century Forum
Jordan GoldbergVice President, Real Estate GroupAlliance Bernstein
Dane E. HolmesHead of Investor Relations,Goldman Sachs
Jack leslieChairman, Weber Shandwick
Thaderine D. MacFarlanePhilanthropist
Gavin McFarlandPhilanthropist
Michael A. MalloryPresident, Ron Brown Scholar FundExecutive Director, Ron BrownScholar Program
Jonathan D. MarinerChief Investment Officer,Major League Baseball
Andrew C. PilaroChairman, CAP Advisers Limited of Dublin
Anthony M. PilaroChairman Emeritus RBSF Board ofTrustees, Chairman, CAP Foundation,CAP AdvisersLimited of Dublin
Christopher A. PilaroPresident, CAP Charitable Foundation
Marva A. SmallsEVP, Global Inclusion Strategy,VIACOM & EVP, Public Affairs andChief of Staff, Viacom Kids & Family Group
Mary SnitchDirector, NASA ProgramsLockheed Martin Corporation
Kathy Thornton-BiasMichael B. S. TreismanGeneral Counsel, TigerManagement LLC
Thomas A. WallerSenior Director of Corporate Affairs,Constituent Relations, Wal-MartStores, Inc.
Aaron S. WilliamsExecutive Vice President, InternationalDevelopment, RTI International
InayearwhentheRonBrownScholarProgramisfocusingondemonstratingits“impact”,wehavebeenlookingatthewidelydifferentbutincreasinglypowerfulwaysourScholarsareinfluencingpositivechangeinAmericaandglobally.Then,comestheunexpectedandtimely—aletterwereceivedfromKeonPearson(RBS2011);anotethatmakesusrealizethat“impact”isactuallymoreofaprocessthananoutcome.I’msharingwithyouapart
ofKeon’sletterbecauseitsoclearlyillustrateswhyallofyouwhobelieveinourScholarsandsogenerouslysupporttheProgramarehavingapositive“impact”onsomanylives.
Dear Mr. Mallory and Ms. Evans-Grevious,
I hope this note finds you both well. I just wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for the profound way that the Ron Brown
Scholar Program has impacted my life. Being at Harvard can be intensely tough at times, especially for people from my background and family situation. However, because of the support of RBSP, I have felt secure, supported, and at ease during my college career. Knowing that I would never have to worry about affording books, or making flights home, or getting to medical school interviews across the country made an invaluable contribution to my mental health and well-being. All that I had to do was study hard and be a normal student, and I could rest assured that things would fall into place.
And things have certainly fallen into place! I have had unimaginable journeys across the globe, learned to com-municate (admittedly, quite poorly) in two additional languages, experienced running a small non-profit, literally run thousands of miles, fallen in love, developed strong friendships with people from three different continents, deepened my passion for medicine and minority health, and, most recently, gained acceptances into the top medi-cal schools in the country.
So I wanted to thank you both for the excellent work that you do every day. When I heard that all twenty-eight finalists received the scholarship this year, I nearly wept with joy. Twenty-eight lives were forever changed, and it was truly a beautiful moment.
I cannot believe that it has already been four years since my Selection Weekend! I still vividly remember exactly where I was when I got that fateful phone call. Being a Ron Brown Scholar has meant the world to me. Soon enough I plan to be able to contribute my time and treasure to this cause!
Sincerely,Keon
Wehavemanyreasonstocelebratethisyear.Wereachedourfundraisinggoal;weheardfromandwereinspiredbyourspeakersduringtheSixthAnnualAmericanJourneyAwards,SamAlemayehu(RBS2004),thefirst(butweknowfarfromthelast)RonBrownScholartocontributefundstocoverafullscholarshipforanewRonBrownScholar.Samrepeatedtheword“love”duringhisspeech—andweallunderstoodtheprofundityofwhathewasconveying.DonielleBuie,ourfirstScholarTrustee,gaveastirringspeechinwhichsheaskedtheaudiencetoconsiderarangeofsoul-searchingquestions,concludingwith,“Areyoureadytogothedistancewithme,becauseIamwithyou?”
WealsoheardfromMs.CokieRobertswhopaidspecialtributetoherbrotherThomasHaleBoggs,Jr.whopassedawayinthefallof2014.TomwasaninspiringfriendandsupporteroftheProgramwhowasinstrumentalinthenamingoftheRonBrownScholarProgramandbecamededicatedtothesuccessofeachRonBrownScholar.
Throughouttheeveningandineverycornerofthevasthall,ourScholarsconnectedwithfriendsoftheProgram,ourfriendsmadenewfriends,andeveryonehadagoodtimecelebratingaspecialfamilyofyoungleaders.
AsKeonmentioned,wewereabletoawardascholarshiptoeachofthetwenty-eightfinalists—thatwasthesweetestpartofaverysweetweekend.Thankyouforbeinganimportantpartofourfamily.
PleaseenjoytheScholaraccomplishmentsprofiledinthisnewsletter.Wehopeyouwillstayintouchwithus,connectwithaScholarandkeepusinyourgivingplans.
Allthebesttoyou,
MichaelA.MalloryPresident&ExecutiveDirector
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New Board of TrusTees MeMBer; 2015 scholar reflecTioNs
Advisory Board (cont’d)
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New ParTNershiP wiTh GoldMaN sachs; hiddeN GeNius ProjecT
Dane E. Holmes Joins Board of Trustees
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TheRonBrownScholarProgramproudlywelcomesournewestTrustee,Mr.DaneE.Holmes.DaneistheHeadofInvestorRelationsforGoldmanSachs.Heisresponsibleforallas-
pectsofinvestorrelationsandforshareholders,debtinvestors,ratingagenciesandcorporategovernanceengagement.HeisamemberoftheFirmwideClientandBusinessStandardsCommittee,theFirmwideRiskCommittee,theDisclosureCommitteeandtheAmericasDiversityCommittee.Priortoassuminghiscurrentrole,DanewasintheFinancialInstitu-tionsFinancingGroupwithintheInvestmentBankingDivision.HejoinedGoldmanSachsin2001asaVicePresidentandwasnamedManagingDirectorin2004andPartnerin2010.Priortojoiningthefirm,DaneworkedatJ.P.Morgancoveringthefinancialinstitutions,municipalandhealthcareindustriesandheldvariouspositionsintheMergers&Acquisitions,CapitalMarkets&Advisory,andPortfolioManagementgroups.
DaneearnedaBAinArchitecturefromColumbiaUniversityin1992.“I am excited to join the Ron Brown Scholar Program as a
Trustee. It is an honor to be able to contribute to the significant and longstanding impact the Program has had on young African Americans.” –DaneE.Holmes,GoldmanSachs
Reflections From a 2015 Ron Brown Scholarship Recipient
By:LeahYared,RBS2015
Program Announces Partnership With Goldman Sachs
TheRonBrownScholarProgramandGoldmanSachsarepleasedtoannounceacollaborationthatwillsupportthefundingoftennewRonBrownScholarsannuallyoverthenextfouryears.ThiscommitmentbyGoldmanSachs(withthepossibilityofincreasedmulti-yearsupport)isthelargestcorporateinvestmentreceivedtodatebythe
RonBrownScholarProgram.ItunderscoresbothGoldmanSachs’commitment topromotediversityand theevolv-ingnational reputationof theRonBrownScholarProgram.This joint effortwillsignificantlyaffect theabilityofauniqueandsuccessfulcollegescholar-shipprogram forAfricanAmericans to enlarge itsnetworkof future leaders.
“Our partnership with Gold-man Sachs provides an incredible opportunity for us to continue building upon our motto, ‘The value of one; the power of all.’ An increase in the number of young leaders we can support through scholarship assistance will mean an exponential increase in their ability to influence successful and sustainable change. Over the past nineteen years, Ron Brown Schol-ars have successfully matriculated at and graduated from America’s top colleges and universities. As they mature, network as a family,
and move into professional posi-tions in every area of endeavour, their accomplishments become truly impressive. The time is right; the partnership with Goldman is powerful; it will enable the Ron Brown Scholar Program and its talented Scholars to expand their impact on American and global progress,” says Michael Mallory, Executive Director, Ron Brown Scholar Program.
“We are excited to launch this partnership with the Ron Brown Scholar Program. Ron Brown Scholars have demonstrated im-
outreach through outstanding organizations such as the Ron Brown Scholar Program.” – Cindy Joseph, VP, Head of Diversity Re-cruiting, Goldman Sachs. ■
RBS Brandon Nicholsonto Head the Hidden Genius Project
BrandonNicholson (RBS2001), has been namedthe founding Executive
DirectoroftheHiddenGeniusProject. The mission of thisorganizationconceivedofandlaunched by two fellow RonBrown Scholar colleagues—JasonYoungandTyMoore–is
tobetheleadingincubatorofhigh-performing black maleentrepreneurs and technolo-gists.TheProjectrepresentsaninnovativeapproachtoaccom-plishing positive societal im-pact.Italsoconfirmsabeliefundergirding the uniquenessand value of the Ron BrownScholarProgram.HiddenGe-nius confirms the realizationofacriticalaspectofthePro-gram’sinitialdream:
“The vision of Mr. Mal-lory and the Pilaro family was clearly for us to pursue our individual missions and aspirations, all the while sup-porting each other to build towards the greater good. I’m extremely proud to be working with high-quality guys such as Jason and Ty, both of whom I have admired since the very first days I met them. What’s critical is the fact that they have such big dreams; the paramount ingredient in be-ing able to accomplish trans-formative results. It’s a great feeling to run alongside fellow
Scholars who believe we have the power to create value and uplift communities writ large. ‘The Value of One; the Power of All,’ perfectly captures this mission.”
Hidden Genius is a path-waytoachievementforfutureentrepreneurs. Ithingesupona commitment to mentoringunderservedyouthandcreat-ingacohesivecommunityoftech innovators, who actu-ate transformational changewithintheircommunities.The
thisworkexceedsthecurrentcapacitytomeetit.TheHiddenGeniusProjectwantstobeinthe vanguard of meaningfulimpactinthisrealm.
Brandonbelievestheirven-ture marks an opportunityto disrupt the way we envi-sion training and productiv-ity for young people fromunderserved communities.In short, it offers a chanceto empower communities toempowerthemselves,andac-cordinglyleveragetechnology
Hidden Genius is a pathway to achievement for future entrepreneurs.
Projecthasbegunbysupport-ingyoungmenintheOakland,Californiaarea.Theend-pointgoalistoexpandnationwide,helpingyoungblackmalestobuildtheconfidencenecessaryforthemtoperseverethroughsystemicbarriersandachievetheirdreams.Thedemandfor
as a vehicle. The Scholars’partnershipinHiddenGeniusaswellastheirgoalsandas-pirations for their endeavor,provide clear proof that RonBrown Scholars, who standoutinhighschoolduetotheirintelligence and commitment
Iremember sitting there thinking, “Did I hear that right?” I looked aroundto seemy fellowScholars jumpingout of their seats, hugging eachother,and crying tears of joy. I’m not much of a crier, but the atmosphere was
somovingthatmanyofusgotemotional.WehadjustheardMr.Mallorysaythe words: “YouALL won!”With three words, our lives changed forever.
Rewind to the beginningofSelectionWeekend.Whenwearrivedat the6thAnnualRonald H. BrownAmericanJourneyAwardsreceptiononFridaynight,wewerebroughtintoamassiveroomfilledwithwell-dressedadults.Theeve-ningwastohonorthelegacyofthelateThomasHaleBoggs,Jr. and highlight the accom-plishmentsofourveryownRonBrownScholarSamAlemayehuwiththeEmergingLeadershipAward.Weallspreadoutaroundtheroomandmingled,andastimepassed,itbecameeasiertoshakeaperson’shandandstrikeupaconversa-tion. Ron Brown alumni were mixed in withdonors,supporters,andpanelists;everyonewasidentifiedbythecoloredhangingIDtagswornaroundtheneck.Iremembersteppingintothatoverwhelmingroom,notknowingwheretoevenlookfirst,andthefirstpersonwhocameuptotalktomewasanalumnus.Hewarmlywelcomedmeandimpartedsomewordsofwisdomfortherestof thenight,andfor the longroadahead.
All too soon, the reception ended and theceremony progressed to the dinner, where
eachScholarwas seated at aseparate table surrounded byRBS alumni, supporters, andbusinesspeoplefromacertaincompany.Thereceptionexpe-riencehadpreparedusforthisnewtest:diningwithinfluentialpeople.The JourneyAwardsdinnerhighlighted the legacyofMr.ThomasHaleBoggs,Jr.andallofthesupporthepro-
videdtheProgramovertheyears.CokieRobertsservedashostandinspiredusalltocarryonMr.Boggs’commitmenttoliftingupthefuturelead-ersofAmerica.Ms.RobertsalsoannouncedtheThomasHaleBoggs,Jr.MemorialScholarshipFundwhichwould recognizeoneRonBrownScholar each year as a Tom Boggs Scholar.
The Program then recognized 2004 RonBrownScholarSamAlemayehuwiththe2015Emerging LeadershipAward.As Sam spokeabout his Ethiopian upbringing and what theProgrammeanstohim,wealltooknoteofhishumilityandpoise.AsthedaughterofEthiopianimmigrants, his speech struck a chord withinmeasI thoughtaboutmyownparent’sdesireto supportmyeducation inanywaypossible.
Jerry B. BiasFounder and Chief Executive Officer,Wisdom Oak Winery
Melanie Wilson BiasPrincipal and Chief Operating OfficerWisdom Oak Winery
Robert B. BinswangerProfessor, Dartmouth College
lance BlanksFormer NBA General Manager
John BurtCo-Founder, MBA JumpStart Advisory Group
Kevin J. CarringtonVice President, The Segal Company
Matthew D. CuttsPartner, Squire Patton Boggs, LLP
Pamela EllisonManaging Director, Robin Hood
lauri Fitz-PegadoPartner, Livingston Group, LLC
Guy E. FlynnPartner, DLA Piper, LLP (US)
Nupur Parekh FlynnManaging Director/Co-Director of Marketing,Brown Capital Management
James HackneyEntrepreneur
Judith HarrisonSenior Vice President, Staffing and Diversity& Inclusion, Constituency Management Group
Ritza J. HendricksManaging Partner, R.Y. Ink! LLC
Ellie HyltonClient Solutions AssociateNielsen
Michelle C. IfillSenior Vice President & General Counsel,Verizon Operations, IT & CAO
Calvin C. laRocheCo-Founder, DC Ventures and Associates
Sharon Brickhouse MartinFounder and President, Brickhouse MartinHealthcare Engineering
Emmit J. McHenryEntrepreneur
Ginger McKnight-ChaversAttorney
lesia Bates MossPresident, Seedco Financial Services
Cynthia A. MurrayPresident, Cynthia Murray Enterprises, LLC
Joshua B. RalesFounder & Managing Partner, RFI Associates
Eileen Cassidy RiveraVice President, Global Marketing andCommunications, Harris Healthcare Solutions
Rodney E. SlaterPartner, Squire Patton Boggs, LLP
V. Davis SmithPrincipal, Organizational Development andExecutive Coach, Caste Energy LLC
Elsie Wilson ThompsonAttorney
Maria TildonSenior VP, Public Policy & Community Affairs,CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
Jonice Gray TuckerPartner, BuckleySandler LLP
R. Kenly WebsterAttorney at Law
Michael A. WilliamsChief Medical Information Officer &Associate Professor of PediatricsUniversity of Virginia Health Systems
Bethany Dickerson WynderDirector of Admissions & Financial Aid, Trinity Episcopal School (Charlotte, NC)
Michelle Robinson (Ron Brown Scholar 1997)Assistant Professor of American Studies,UNC-Chapel Hill
Jason W. Young (Ron Brown Scholar 2000)Entrepreneur
Dane E. Holmes is Head of Investor Relations at Goldman Sachs.
Leah Yared will attend Harvard College in the fall.
Mike Mallory with Cindy Joseph of Goldman Sachs.
pressive achievements, both in and outside the classroom, and show strong potential for leadership and ser-vice. Through our new partnership, we hope to expose these talented individuals to the wide range of opportunities at Goldman Sachs, in-
cluding mentorship, professional development and internship pro-grams. Diversity is at the core of our values, and it’s important that we continue to expand our
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reMeMBeriNG ThoMas hale BoGGs, jr.; rBs doNielle Buie
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scholar sPoTliGhT; scholar reflecTioNs (coNT’d)
Scholar Spotlight: Malcolm Grayson, RBS 2011 Remembering a Friend
He’saphilosopherandapoet,achessmasterandaviolin-ist, a published researcher
and a Harvard grad—no wonderMalcolmGraysonisatthetopoftheacademicfoodchain.ButwhenMalcolmfoundouthewasarecipi-entoftheprestigiousMichaelC.RockefellerTravelingFellowship,hedecidedgradschoolcouldwait.
Awarded by members of theRockefeller family to a selecthandful of Harvard seniors, the
. . . his gifts and how he uses them will inspire younger people to understand and follow their own dreams.
By Gary Nordheimer
ShortlyafterIattendedmyclosefriendTomBoggs’funeralIbegantothinkabouttryingtoestablishameaningfulwaytoexpandhislegacy.Tomhadbeeninvolvedinandgeneroustomanygoodcauses,includinghisschools,universityandlawschoolandmanyotherworthycauses.Wetalkedwithmembers
ofhisfamilyanditbecamequiteclearthattheRonBrownScholarProgramheldaspecialplaceinhisheart.Tom was a very private per-
son,almosttothepointofbeingshy,butnotwhenitcametotak-ing the time to help select andmentor the many Scholars whopassed through his open door.Discussions with Tom’s familycementedtheideathatTomwouldhavebeenveryproudtohaveanendowedscholarshipinhisname.We quickly reached out to hisfamily and to a large extendedfamilyoffriends,sharingfavoritestoriesaboutTomandourmutualgrieffromTom’spassing.
We agreed to try toraiseenoughmoneypriortotheSixthAnnualAmer-icanJourneyAwardsDin-nersowecouldestablishan endowed fund in hisname, to fund at leastone full scholarship an-nually.Webelievethisisanoutstanding tribute toTom and his family andfriendsthatwithinaveryshortpe-riodoftime,thekernelofanideagrewintorealityandthefirstTomBoggsScholarhasbeenselected.Tom’s children, Douglas Boggs
and Elizabeth Boggs Davidsen,carried on Tom's tradition andparticipatedintheinterviewofthefirstTomBoggsScholar,ayoungmanwhowouldhavemadeTomveryproudasthefirstinwhatweanticipatewillbealastingtributeto Tom and his deep commit-menttotheRonBrownScholars.
“We are so proud to select Raymond Pryor, IV as the 2015 re-cipient of the Tommy Boggs Schol-arship. Raymond, an all-League offensive lineman, is a big guy with
a huge heart. He’s a brilliant stu-dent and a natural politician so it is hard to imagine a better choice.”
– Elizabeth Boggs DavidsenRaymond Pryor IV, a young
football,basketball,andbaseballathlete and avid sports fan, willnot realizehis dreamof playingfirst-division collegiate sports.Hisnaturalaffinitytodowellinschoolwillserveashisvehicletorealizehisdreams.Hisstrongestsubject has always been math-ematics; he plans to utilize hisqualitative-quantitative abilitiesas he pursues his undergraduatestudiesandaprofessionalcareer.
Apart from his academic in-terests, Ray has a true passion:
combat ing inequi tythroughconnectivity.Heobserved, experienced,and was disgusted bythe achievement andopportunity gaps in hishighschool.Hebecamea beneficiary, member,and then leader of hisschool’s Angels for AP Excellence that encour-agedpromisingstudents
of color to enroll in advancedcourses(wheretheyareseverelyunderrepresented).Buildingonhisleadership development trainingasaBezosScholarat theAspen
Institute,RaylaunchedtheAsk An Angel Network & Expo,astudent-generated online and in-personconnectivity platform throughwhich students can engage withthe experiences, insights, andadvice of his high school’s,100-year-old alumni network.
As he looks ahead to begin-ning his undergraduate educa-tion at Duke University, Rayhopes to expand his quest tomaximize the positive impacthe can have on transformingpossibilities for under-servedindividuals and communities.■
Reflections From a 2015 Ron Brown Scholarship Recipient(Continued From Page 2)
fellowship provides a year’sworth of financial support forunrestricted travel to a foreigncountry.That’sright:unrestricted.Recipients of this coveted prize
getanentireyeartoenrichtheirlives outside of academia bydoing,well, just aboutwhateverthey want.With the freedom togo anywhere and do anything,MalcolmplanstohikethelengthofJapanwhilememorizingpoetryand mastering lucid dreaming.
Malcolm will perfect a spe-cial memorization techniqueknown as the “Memory Pal-ace” to commithundredsofpo-ems to memory–a small feat
considering he can already re-cite a 108-line poem by heart.
Malcolmalsoplanstousethisjourney of awakening to masteranother craft—lucid dreaming.
He explains: “A lucid dream isjust like a normal dream exceptfor two things: 1)You happento know that you’re dreamingand2)Younowhavefullcontroloverwhathappensinthedream.It’s quite fun manifesting yourimagination right before youreyes.” Malcolm plans to masterlucid dreaming as an instru-ment to design video games,another lifelong passion of his.
With a double major and aminorfromHarvard(allwithhon-ors,bytheway),Malcolmworksasaprivatetutorforhigh-profileclientsaroundtheworld.Parentsbook him months in advance tocome to their country and teachtheirkidsanythingfromtheSATtoEnglish,poetrytophilosophy.
Malcolm’s aspirations andhis accomplishments to dateshowcase the range of abilitiesourRonBrownScholarspossess.
Theyareallintellectualstandouts,buttheirdreamsmovethemalongunique and diverse paths. Mal-colmsharesaservicethemecom-mon among RBS: that his giftsandhowheusesthemwillinspireyounger people to understandand follow their own dreams. ■
It was also inspiring to learnthat just a few short years outof college, Sam had the goodfortune and generosity to giveback $40,000 to the Program.Hefullyfundedascholarshipsothatanotherstudentcouldreceivethesameawardhewasblessedto
win.Thatwasextremelymoving.I remember him saying, “TheProgram showed me love.” Inthose few words, I immediatelyknew the potential impact theProgram would have on me.
Moments later after laugh-ing at Ms. Robert’s charismatic
speeches,wewerecalledoverbyMrs.Evanstoformalineandgoup on stage.We each called outournameandhometownintothemicrophone.Althoughtheantici-pationofwalkinguponthatstagegavemenervousjitters,everyonespokecalmlyandclearly–andtheaudience loved it! Iwalkedbacktomyseatwithasmallfeelingofaccomplishment.AsIreflectedonthe speeches from past ScholarsKarlaAghedoandSam,Iimaginedwhatitwouldbeliketobeuponthat stage in a few years givingmyownspeech.Getting tomeetScholars who were in our shoesnottoolongagoopenedoureyestothebrightfuturesaheadofus.
FastforwardtoSaturdaynight.The moment Mr. Mallory saidthose fateful words can only bedescribedasunbelievable.Ifeltahugeweightliftoffmyshoulders.AndbecomingaScholarwasonlyhalftheshock;theotherhalfofitwasfindingoutthatallofusmadeit.After a weekend of bonding,we were rooting for each other.
TheseedsoftheRonBrownfam-ily had already been sown, anda family looks out for its own.
I went home the followingmorningthinkingbacktothephe-nomenalyoungmenandwomenIhadjustmet–thequintessenceofblackexcellence.Iwashumbledand honored to be considered apartofthisfamily.Atschool,Iwasalways“thatkid”–somethingofanoutlier in termsofacademicsandrace.TheAmericanJourneyAwards dinner taught me thatblackexcellenceisnotunnatural;there are hundreds of role mod-els in this Program alone. Thewisdom past Scholars bestoweduponuswasmuchdifferentfromtheusual“Followyourdreams!”or “Find your passion!” Thesewererealpeople(peoplewecouldactuallyrelateto!)whofoundtheirpassionandthrived.I’msuretheRBS Class of 2015 will rise tothe occasion of excellence, andI thankeveryonewhopaved thewayforustoachievethishonor.■
Fifteen years ago, I was a finalist forthe Ron Brown scholarship. I tried tokeep my cool, not show my nervous-
ness (not let on that running through myhead was every possible question theymight ask me the next day!). But what IkeptcomingbacktoandwhatIhavecomebacktooverandoversinceIwasafinalistis that I was and am surrounded by excel-lence.Theyhadmyhue.Thathadlivedmystory.Andtheyshowedmethatbeingyoung,giftedandblackwasnotananomaly.Iwasunique,butnotalone.Special but not rare.
While I sincerelyhope that everyone isabletowalkawaywith$40,000tohelpcreatenewopportunities(theworldsodesperatelyneedsourtalents,leadershipandideas),what
Memories From 2000 RBS Donielle BuieWill You Go the Distance With Me?
I pray is each of you walk away from theselectionweekendexperiencewiththebegin-
ningofdeepfriendshipsinwhichtheanswertothefollowingquestionsisaresoundingyes:
If I fail, will you help me find the lesson? If I fall, will you catch me?
If I succeed will you cheer for me. If I am unsure, will you encourage me?If I suffer a loss, will you sit with me?
If I forget who I am, where I came from, and how many people helped to get
me here, will you remind me? If I am scared to think big, live boldly and
serve humbly, will you help me push through the fear?
Will you be my brother and sister on this journey? Are you ready to go the distance
with me, because I am with you.Congratulations 2015 Ron Brown Scholars!
Cokie Roberts shares a moment with 2015 scholarship winner Montell Brown following the American Journey awards dinner.
Raymond Pryor, IV will attend Duke University in the fall.
Gary Nordheimer (center) shown with Lesley Israel (left), Barbara Boggs (3rd from left) and Gail Nordheimer (far right).
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2015 roN BrowN scholars
Congratulations to the 2015 Ron Brown Scholars!
Jason Adulley Bronx,NYRegisHighSchool College:WilliamsCollegeInterest:African-AmericanStudies
Akintobi “Irvin” I. Akinseye Frisco,TXFriscoHighSchoolCollege:BrownUniversityInterest:Neuroscience
Andrew O. Bempah Evanston,IL EvanstonTownshipHighSchoolCollege:StanfordUniversityInterest:OperationsResearch
Lena F. Blackmon Vail,AZ UniversityHighSchoolCollege:StanfordUniversityInterest:MaterialScience
Montell D. Brown Cincinnati,OH OakHillsHighSchoolCollege:UniversityofPennsylvaniaInterest:BiologicalBasisofBehavior
Caroline E. Haoud Astoria,NY BardHighSchoolEarlyCollegeQueensCollege:ColumbiaUniversityInterest:Biochemistry/Physics
Melanie C. P. Horton UpperDarby,PACommonwealthConnectionsAcademyCollege:TuftsUniversityInterest:Psychology
Desmond J. Howard Lexington,KY BryanStationHighSchoolCollege:UniversityofPennsylvaniaInterest:Physics
Taylor L. Howell Fayetteville,GASandyCreekHighSchoolCollege:GeorgiaInstituteofTechnologyInterest:ChemicalEngineering
Javarcia D. Ivory Clinton,MS ClintonHighSchoolCollege:StanfordUniversityInterest:Biophysics
Bruke M. Kifle Alexandria,VA ThomasAlvaEdisonHighSchoolCollege:MassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyInterest:Engineering
Devin B. Kilpatrick Rome,NYRomeFreeAcademyCollege:PrincetonUniversityInterest:EarthScience
T’Angela J. Knight Memphis,TN WhitehavenHighSchoolCollege:UniversityofTennesseeInterest:Marketing/Psychology
Courtney R. Lewis Kennesaw,GA TheWalkerSchoolCollege:HarvardCollegeInterest:Neuroscience
Ayanna D. Martin Collierville,TN St.Mary’sEpiscopalCollege:VanderbiltUniversityInterest:Economics
Anthony D. Mayfield FortWorth,TX BoswellHighSchoolCollege:StanfordUniversityInterest:ElectricalEngineering
Christopher D. McKinnisPinehurst,NC PinecrestHighSchoolCollege:UniversityofNorthCarolina-CharlotteInterest:Meteorology
Tristan J. McLaurin Conway,MA PioneerValleyPerformingArtsCharterPublicSchoolCollege:MassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyInterest:MechanicalEngineering
DivineAsia E. Miller Brooklyn,NY BrooklynTechnicalHighSchoolCollege:AmherstCollegeInterest:Psychology
Andrew R. Moton Stockton,CA TokayHighSchoolCollege:HarvardCollegeInterest:InternationalAffairs
Zaria A. Noble Denver,CO KentDenverHighSchoolCollege:WashingtonUniversity–St.LouisInterest:PoliticalScience(Pre-Law)
Chidera C. Osuji Stockbridge,GADutchtownHighSchoolCollege:YaleUniversityInterest:InternationalRelations
Jaylen J. Pittman Montgomery,ALLAMPMagnetHighSchoolCollege:YaleUniversityInterest:GlobalAffairs
Raymond E. Pryor, IVAurora,CO EastHighSchoolCollege:DukeUniversityInterest:PublicPolicy
Matthew W. Shearin ElCajon,CA ElCajonValleyHighSchoolCollege:DartmouthCollegeInterest:ComputerScience
Mojique D. Tyler Brooklyn,NY BardHighSchoolEarlyCollegeCollege:YaleUniversityInterest:Physics
Auriel S. Wright Macon,GA NortheastHighSchoolCollege:HarvardCollegeInterest:GlobalHealthcare
Leah S. Yared Rockville,MD RockvilleHighSchoolCollege:HarvardCollegeInterest:Government
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roN BrowN scholar uPdaTes (coNT’d)
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roN BrowN scholar uPdaTes
Ron Brown Scholars—What Are They Up to NOW? Spring 2015
Ron Brown Scholars—What Are They Up to NOW? Spring 2015(Continued From Page 8)
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(from left to right) Bradley Pough (RBS 2008), Rashawn Dye (RBS 2010), Mondaire Jones (RBS 2005) (back to us), and Kai Ross (RBS 2005) enjoy time together during the 2015 Alumni Association meeting in Washington, DC.
Katori Hall, (1999) will premiere her newwork,The Blood Quilt, atArenaTheatre inWashingtonDConMay7th.
Immanuel Foster (2002) is a litigation as-sociateatSkadden,Arps,Slate,Meagher&FlomLLPinBoston.
Brandon Nicholson (2001)istheexecutivedirectoroftheHiddenGeniusProject,whosevisionistobetheleadingincubatorofhigh-performing black male entrepreneurs andtechnologists.These leaders are committedto mentoring underserved youth and creat-ingacohesivecommunityoftechinnovatorswhoactuatepositive,transformationalchangewithintheircommunities.Throughitsmodel,The Hidden Genius Project aims to bolsterworkforce and economic development as ameanstoeffectapositivesocietalimpact.
Tristan Ivory (2000)iscurrentlyputtingthefinaltouchesonhisdissertationandshouldbedonethisupcomingJune.
Tracy "Ty" Moore II (2002)isbusymanag-ingtheresearchcontractthatMindBlownLabswasawardedbytheU.S.TreasuryDepartment.Inaddition,he'sreachingouttoschoolsthatwouldliketousetheirbest-in-classfinancialcapabilitygameandlessonplans.Shortly,he'llbejoiningJasonYoung(2004)intheWhiteHouse at the President'sAdvisory CouncilMeetingandpresentingattheClintonGlobalInitiativeUniversityconferenceinMiami.
Eddie Martin, Jr. (2000) is continuing hisworkasaspecialassistantattheU.S.Depart-ment of Education's Center for Faith-basedandNeighborhoodPartnerships,anInitiativethatispartoftheWhiteHouseOfficeofFaith-basedandNeighborhoodPartnerships.Heisalsoservingaschaplain(captain)ofthe400thMilitaryPoliceBattalionatFortMeadeandtheyouthpastoratNineteenthStreetBaptistChurchinWashington,DC.
Geraldine Pierre Haile (2004)recentlyde-fendedherdissertationandhasstartedworkingfull-timeatMathematicaPolicyResearchinOakland,CAasasurveyresearcher.
Faith Jackson (2012) was recently electedpresident of Read Between the Minds, ane-mentoring,non-profitorganizationsheco-foundedin2013.Sheisreallyexcitedtobemakingithermainfocusoutsideofschool,and theorganization iscurrentlypartof theVentureIncubationProgramatHarvardBusi-ness School. She is still deciding her plans
for the summer, but hopes that the summerinvolvesbothproductivityandrelaxation.
Matt Wood (2013) is striving to finish hissophomoreyearstrongly,willbeinNYCasasummeranalystforCreditSuisse,andlooksforwardtofinalizinghisplanstocontinuehisstudiesinBrazilinthefall.
Crystal Boyd (2006) is alive and well inBerlin,researchingbestliteracypracticesforteachingrefugeesintheschoolsystemaspartoftheAlexanderVonHumboldtFellowship.She'screatingwithherproductioncompanyandtheteamisworkingonpitchingDown-townGirlsanddevelopingitintoaTVshow.This summer she will be meetingAngelaMerkelfordinnerwithherprogram,andlivinginBarcelonaandpartsofGreece.
Sharlene Brown (2004) is working as amanagement consultant forAccenture. SheremainsveryinvolvedintheeducationspaceandjoinedthefoundinggovernanceboardofanewschoolopeninginEastLA.
Chanel Washington (2011)willbeworkingatGoldmanSachsinNewYorkasananalystforthePrivateWealthManagementdivisionaftergraduatingfromHarvardCollege.
Michael Mekonnen (2009)justreturnedfromaveryrefreshingandwonderfultriptoEthio-pia(9yearsafterarrivingintheUS!),andalsojustmovedpasttheone-yearanniversaryasasoftwareengineeratGoogle.“Ihavelearnedandgrowninmanywaysinthisfirstyear,andIlookforwardtothesameamount,ifnotmore,ofgrowthinthecomingyear.”
Jordan Alston-Harmon (2013) transferredtoHarvardCollegeinthefall.HeleadsaprogramwiththeInstituteofPoliticsthatdiscussestheintersectionofraceandpolitics,competesontheHarvardMockTrialteam,andvolunteerswith a group that tutors incarcerated youthonceaweek.HewillinternattheNewYorkofficeofMcKinsey&Companythissummer.
Julius Mitchell (2009)hasjustreturnedfrombackpacking in southern China, Singapore,and the Philippines to celebrate the LunarNewYear.As his teaching fellowship withtheYale-ChinaAssociationendsthiscomingJune,he ispreparingapplications toawiderangeoffinance,legal,researchandconsult-ingpositions.
Jade Craig (2002) wasmarriedonSeptember22, 2014. He and his wife Jamie currently
liveinWashington,DC.WiththehelpofRonBrownScholarProgrammentors,hereceivedapresidentialappointmentintheObamaAd-ministration.HeservesastheSpecialPolicyAdvisor to theAssistant Secretary for FairHousingandEqualOpportunityat theU.S.DepartmentofHousingandUrbanDevelop-ment(HUD).
Malcolm Grayson (2011)isabouttogradu-ate from Harvard College with a degree inphilosophy.AftergraduationheplansspendayearlivinginthewildernessofJapan,memo-rizingpoetryandmasteringluciddreaming.
Brennan Gould (2001) is director of pro-gramsattheCharlottesvilleAreaCommunityFoundation and oversees the Foundation'sgrantmakingandstrategiccommunitydevel-opmentinitiatives.SheandherhusbandAndreareawaitingwithgreatexcitementthearrivaloftheirlittlegirlinJune.
Folake Dosu (2007) is the marketing man-ageratBolstr,anonlinemarketplacewhereemergingconsumer,retailandmanufacturingbusinesses can access growth capital froma network of accredited investors. ChecktherecentfeatureinInc.magazine.Inothernews,sherecentlybecameaForteFoundationMBALaunch Fellow and her daily Chicagocommuteischallenging.
Victoria Offei-Dua (2014)willbehavingalowkeysummerandtakingsummercoursesforherpre-medprerequisitesandshadowingattheHuntsvillehospital.Herplanistobeaheadinherpre-medcoursessothatshecanstudyabroadintheUKduringthespringsemesterofherjunioryear.
Dorian Dargan (2007)leadsProductatYou-Now,afast-growinglivevideosocialnetwork& venture-backed tech startup in NYC. HeandhiswifeareexpectingababygirlinMay.
Camille Everhart (2009) iscurrentlyfinish-ingupherMaster'sinMechanicalEngineeringatStanford,andwillbetakingherqualificationexamforPh.D.candidacyinthespring.
Bryant Watson (2006)isheadedtoYaleLawSchoolthisfall.
Frederik Groce (2010)iscurrentlyworkingastheCEOofStanfordStudentEnterprises.Hehasjustre-signedforanotheryearandisexcited to continuehisworkwith theorga-nization. One of the big projects he's been
investingalotofhistimeoniscreatingabrandnew incubator for Stanford start-ups calledCardinalVentures.
Jasmine Browne (2007) is currently sup-porting the testing and commissioning of anewverticalformfillsealmachineforP&G.ThisrolehasledtoseveraltripstoBelgiumduringthelasthalfof2014andthebeginningofthe2015.Herculminatingtripwillbea3monthassignmentinthePhilippinestoensureasuccessfulstartupofthemachine,beginninginMarch2015.
Danielle Allen (2005)ismovingbacktoDCfromBoston.She'salsotakingonanewroleconveningandadvisingeducationphilanthro-pistsatImpactforEducation.
Andrea Headley (2010) isfinishinguphersecond year as a doctoral student studyingthe politics of crime control. Her currentresearchhascenteredonprisonprivatizationandpolice-communityrelations.
Gomian Konneh (2014) was awarded the"InterculturalAward"fromtheUniversityofPennsylvania's Onyx Senior Honor Society,which is an award that was designed forthe underclassman "who has made notableachievementsinpromotingelementsofblackculture through art, dance, or other artisticexpression."ShehasalsoreceivedanawardfortheOnyxSeniorSociety'sFreshmanHonorRoll.ShewillbeinterninginManhattanwithViacomandwillbeworkingonaprojectintheContentDistributionandMarketingdivisionand is very excited to learn about themassmediaindustryinthisveryhands-onmanner.
Ihotu Ali (2003)justreturnedfromatriptoNigeriaforfamilyweddingsandconnectingwith ruralnurses andmidwives.She joinedthe research and advocacy team at ChoicesinChildbirthinNewYorkCity,andlaunchedher in-home women's massage therapy andpreventivemedicinepractice:www.Creative-Rebirth.com.
William Chichester, III (2001)hascelebratedhisfirst-yearweddinganniversarytohisbeau-tifulwife,Ivy.HespenthisanniversaryinSt.John'sVirginIslands.HecontinuestoresideinCharlottesville,VA,andleadsCapitalOne'sdiversitycampusrecruitingefforts.
Chaz Beasley (2004)isfinishinguphistermas thepresidentof theYoungDemocratsofMecklenburg County in Charlotte, NC. Heremains active in the community, having
recently begun serving as chair of a localnonprofitboard.HecontinuestoworkasanattorneyatAlston&BirdLLP.
Jennifer Green (2003) currently serves asVicePresidentandCounselatCreditSuisse.
Alexandra Wood (2003) is currently theglobaldigitalproductdirectorofHavasWorld-wide,whereshewasrecentlyselectedasoneof46Havasemployees(outofthe16,000-per-sonemployeebase)forHavasCEOYannickBolloré's inaugural class of next generationleaders, which grooms high-performingmanagers for executive leadershippositionswithin the company. She was also recentlytappedtowriteacolumnontechnologytrendsforThe Drum.
Kalonji Nzinga (2002)isfinishinghisthirdyear of a PhD program at NorthwesternUniversity in the School of Education andSocialPolicy.Heisbeginninghisdissertationresearchonthemoralsocializationinvolvedinengagingwithhip-hopmusic.
Miles Malbrough (2012) is finishing hisjunioryearatHarvardCollege.He'scurrentlyplanning his senior thesis research on classconsciousnessandsocialmobilityofAfrican-
Americancommunities in theSouth,whichwill begin in May of 2015. Besides seniorthesisresearch,MileswillcontinuehisworkastreasurerandCFOofthePhillipsBrooksHouseAssociation (PBHA) this summer.Astudent-run non-profit, PBHA is Harvard'slargestserviceorganization,runningover80after-school,mentoring,adultservices,advo-cacyandsummerlearningprogramsannually.
Chris Lyle (2008) is currently working atBankofAmericainNYCasaseniorfinancialanalyst supportingFICCEmergingMarketsFinance.InFebruary2015,hewaspromotedto assistant vice president. In addition towork,hehasbeenpreparingfor theGMATwith hopes of attending business school inthenearfuture.
Mondaire Jones (2005) isthoroughlyenjoy-inghisclerkshipforJudgeAndrewL.Carter,Jr.oftheU.S.DistrictCourtintheSouthernDistrictofNewYork.Itisthebestjobhehashadthusfar.
Brandon Hill (2011)acceptedaninternshipwithGoogleforthesummer.HeisalsoonthevergeoflaunchinghiscampaignforstudentbodypresidentofStanford.Hehasco-founded
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Spring 2015
Spring 2015
The Ron Brown Scholar Program Newsletter 2015
Spring 2015
1110
roN BrowN leaders NeTwork; harvard Mock Trial aluMNi sPoTliGhT; rBs kaTori hall deBuTs New Play
RBS Brandon Nicholson to Head the Hidden Genius Project(Continued From Page 3)
Alumni Spotlight—Megan Donovan-Davissmallergroupandgetting togetherwas likebeingwithfamily.Eveningsortripswerefilledwithalotoflaughterandgreatopportunitiestobondandcomparenoteswithlike-mindedindividuals.Youknew,nomatterwhereyouoriginally came from or what school youattended,youhadagreatnetworkofpeopletoleanonatthatmomentandinthefuture.Also,tobehonest,thepersonwhohasalwaysbeenmystrongestmentorhasbeenMichaelMallory.Hehasalwaysbeensupportiveofmychoicesandwasthereformeformysuccessesaswellasmyrougherpatches.Hecontinuestobeoneofmyfavoritepeopleandsupporters.
What advice would you give to fellow RBS interested in obtaining a position similar to yours?
Inanycareer,successisamixtureofhardwork, timing, and connections. Especially,when you are starting out in a career it isimportant to be fearless and eager but alsohumble.IlandedmyfirstinterviewtobeanassistantbuyerbycallingtheHRdepartmenthiring manager and leaving a message thatsaidalthoughIdidnothaveanyexperienceinthefieldIwaspassionateandifshegavemefifteenminutesofhertimeIwouldcon-vinceherIwastherightcandidateforthejob.
In what ways do you feel that your profes-sional endeavors are fulfilling your sense of purpose?
Iamincrediblyluckythatthroughoutmycareer I have been able to mix my analyticmind with my creative side. Being on theforefrontoftrendswithinfashionwhenIwaswithSaksandBloomingdales,andnowhome
Megan Donovan-Davis (RBS 1997) isthecurrentSeniorBuyerfortheentirefurniture division of ZGallerie. She
wasselectedinthefirstclassofRonBrownScholars.MeggraduatedfromHarvardCollegewithadegreeineconomics.Recently,weaskedhertoreflectonherlifeandhervictoriesintheyearssincebecomingaRonBrownScholar.
Meg, would you share some anecdotes from your undergraduate college days that illustrate how your interaction with the Ron Brown Scholar Program was valuable to you?
It is often difficult to think of life as amarathonandnotasprint.Itisimportanttobefocusedincollegeasthistraitleadstosuccess,butitisequallyasimportanttoenjoytheexpe-rience.AtHarvard,itwassoeasytodeveloptunnelvisionaboutyourfuture.BeingpartofthefirstclassofRBSmeantwewereamuch
furnishings is incredibly rewarding. I gainagreatdealofpleasurewhensomeonetellsmehowmuchhe/shelovesmycompanyoraspecificproductIhavedeveloped.IfeellikeIammakingpeople'slivesricherbymakingthebackdropoftheirlifetheirdreamenvironment.Inadditiontomydayjob,Irecentlystartedablogthatallowsmetoexploremypersonalpassions; it provides another creative outletwhereIcantakechanceswithoutthepressureofthoseprojectsbeingpartofamulti-milliondollarbusiness.Itispurefun!
What are your personal hopes and profes-sional plans moving forward?
I hope that both personally and profes-sionallyIcontinue tofindnewandexcitingopportunities and never stop challengingmyself togrowanddevelop. I amproudofwhoIamandwhereIaminmylife.Thenext5to10yearsaresomethingIlookforwardtowithmuchanticipation.
toabetterworld,aregenuineleaderswhomatureintosuccessfulprofessionalswithunlimitedpotential.Brandonsumsitup:
“While it is unquestionably important for people of all backgrounds to get to ex-perience other cultures and environments, people should not have to disqualify their own environments as the sites of their own growth and development. My mission is to address this challenge on a systemic level.”
From Jason Young, (RBS 2000) and co-founder Hidden Genius Project:
“The Hidden Genius Project never would have been possible without the Ron Brown Scholar Program. While Ty and I were the co-founders, there were a number of Scholars who provided invaluable sup-port along the way. Michael McDaniels helped us to structure the program and commuted over 2 hours each way on week-ends to work with our students. We also drew heavily on Errol Saunders extensive experience, and of course, Brandon has been involved since day one. Hidden Ge-nius is an excellent example of what can happen when Ron Brown Scholars come together.” ■
■
RonBrownScholarandplaywright,Katori Hall, is a rising star incontemporary American the-
Ron Brown Scholars Celebrate the Success of Playwright Katori Hall, RBS 1999
Ron Brown Scholars embrace Katori Hall following a performance of her play, The Blood Quilt on April 28 in DC. (From Left to Right) Jocelyn Bell, Morgan Harper, Ade Sawyer, Dr. Ku McMahan, Katori Hall and Ubah Dimbil.
ater.At just 30 years old, her play The Mountaintop starred Samuel L. Jack-son andAngela Bassett on Broadway.
An alumna of Columbia, Harvardand Julliard, Hall was also the firstblackwoman towinEngland's covetedLaurence OlivierAward for Best NewPlay in2010.Naturally,whennewshitthisspringthathernewplayThe Blood Quilt was being produced in DC, areafriendsandScholarscameoutinsupport.
The Blood Quilt is currently run-
ning through June 7 atArena Stage inWashington, DC. For information andticketsvisithttp://www.arenastage.org.■
WiththankstoourCorporatePartnerswhoprovidedjobleadsandadvice,theRonBrownLeadersNetworkenjoyedaverysuccessfulyear in recruiting.Over25 students securedhighlycompetitivepositionswithourcorporatepartners.Theplacementsto-dateareasfollows:
Ron Brown Leaders Network Spring Update
Capital One Internship Program•TeresaDanso-Danquah,CornellUniversity
Deloitte•EstherOwolabi(full-timeconsultant),
GeorgetownUniversity•MarcusHarris(full-timeconsultant),
UniversityofVirginia•CrystalChukwurah(full-timeconsultant),
DukeUniversity
DLA Piper Undergraduate Legal Internship•NanaAbrefah,ColumbiaUniversity•ChigozieAkah,ColumbiaUniversity
Goldman Sachs•ChanelWashington(full-timeanalyst),
HarvardCollege•EboQuansah(summeranalyst),Princeton
University•KristenShipley(undergraduatecamp),
NorthCarolinaA&TUniversity•NjeriGrevious(summeranalyst),Yale
University•OllieHowie(summeranalyst),Harvard
College•OmololaAgabalogun(summeranalyst),
HarvardCollege•ZolaBridges(summeranalyst),
JohnsHopkinsUniversity
Siemens Summer Internship Program•JohnGiles,UniversityofAlabama-
Huntsville
Sikorsky Aircraft Summer Internship Program•AndrewBlack,YaleUniversity•AveryFisher,NorthwesternUniversity•ChristinaFagbile,GeorgiaInstituteof
Technology•CinneahEl-Amin,BarnardCollege•JimmyHarris,MIT•MorganMahlock,StanfordUniversity
Verizon Summer Internship Program•JeronFenton,PrincetonUniversity•NehemiahBlackburn,YaleUniversity•GomianKonneh,Universityof
Pennsylvania
Wake Forest School of BusinessMasters of Management Corporate Fellows Program•BrittanyColeman,DukeUniversity
Weber Shandwick/ Powell Tate•KhadijahDavis(full-timehireatWeber
Shandwick),GeorgetownUniversity•TaylorEvans(PowellTatesummerintern),
UniversityofNorthCarolina-ChapelHill
ForadditionalinformationontheRonBrownLeadersNetworkandourCorporatePartnersProgram,pleasecontactHollyDuke([email protected]).■
Harvard MockTrialAssociation is the#1 MockTrial program out of thou-sands across the country. It is one of
a handful of completely student-run teams,andtheprogramhasdoneaphenomenaljobcompetingagainstteamswithmanyattorneysserving as formal coaches. The programis extremely competitive, with there beingthree rounds of intense try-outs each year.Naturally,itisveryexcitingtohavethreeRonBrownScholarsontheteam:JordanAlston-Harmon, Faith Jackson, and Tyler Parker.
JordanisasophomorestudyingsociologywhofirstparticipatedinMockTrialatNorth-westernUniversityduringhisfreshmanyearthere. He has since transferred to Harvard,whereheagainfoundhimselfmakingitontotheMockTrialprogram.Faithstartedpartici-patinginMockTrialforthefirsttimeincollege,and has competed since her freshman year,onlystoppingduringayearofffromHarvard.
Tylerisasophomorewhohasbeenonthepro-gramsincehisfreshmanyear.HMTAisfurtherbrokendowninto3-4teams,eachconsistingof6-9competitors,andJordan,Faith,andTylerallcompeteonthetwomostcompetitiveteams.
Those two teams both came in secondplacewithrecordsof7-0-1attheirrespectiveRegionalTournaments, and they then went
on to Championships. From there,Tyler’sandFaith’s teamunfortunatelysawtheendto their competitive season, while Jordan’steam again came in second but went onto win the national championship. Jordan,Faith,andTyleralltraveledwiththeirteamstoStateCollege,PA for theChampionshipTournament,andtheyhadawonderfultimecompeting alongside their scholarship sib-lings.Muchof theapproximately20hoursof traveling involved them joking aboutthe fun times theyhavehadasRonBrownScholars,reminiscingaboutselectionweek-ends’pastandlookingforwardtothefuture.
All in all, Jordan, Faith andTyler havethoroughly enjoyed being on the HarvardMockTrialAssociation together, have rec-ognized how great it is to have had threeRonBrownScholarsmake itonto theverycompetitive program, and look forward toonedaycompetingonthesameteamtogether.
Ron Brown Scholars Participate With Harvard Mock Trial Association
Jordan Alston-Harmon (left) enjoys a fun moment with the winning national team this Spring.
Macarrin Morton (RBS 2003) takes notes during recent brainstorming session at the offices of Deloitte.
Neveen Mahmoud (RBS 2007) shares her new program during the Ron Brown leadership meeting in Washington, DC.
Spring 2015
Spring 2015
12
scholar uPdaTes (coNT’d); save The daTe
Ron Brown Scholar Program1160 Pepsi Place, Suite 206 Charlottesville, VA 22901
Phone: (434) 964-1588Fax: (434) 964-1589
email: [email protected]
Visit us atwww.ronbrown.org
Ron Brown Scholars What Are They Up to NOW?
Spring 2015(Continued From Page 9)
Mark Your Calendars for the Annual Ron Brown Scholar
Summer Reunion and leadership Summit
IMPACT: Ron Brown Scholars
Catalyzing Change in Our Communities and the World
Offices of Deloitte Arlington, VA
August 7-9, 2015
More details to come!
Our Partners
an innovation and leadership academy forBlackstudentscalledEnzaAcademy(www.enzaacademy.org)whichoperatesintheBayAreaandNewYorkCity.ItwasinspiredbyRonBrown.
Danai Kadzere (2010) isworkingwithhereditor/publishingteamtoputthefinaltouchesonThe Princess GamescomingJuly27,2015to bookstores and libraries across the USAandCanada.
Jeanine Pollard (2005)islookingforwardtohersummerinternshipwiththeSmithsonianCenterforLearningandDigitalAccess.
Charday Ife (2010) isatUSCfinishingupher fifth year double-majoring inAfrican-AmericanStudiesandEconomics.
Fatima Loeliger (2007)islivingandworkinginNYCasCreativeDirectorforTheMuse.com,anonlinejobsearchplatformfocusedonthemillennialjob-seeker.Sheislovinglearningmoreandmoreaboutthetechspaceandcan'twaitforsummer.
Natalie Davis (2005) is in the final stagesof her dissertation proposal. Her study willinvestigateBlackstudents'politicalandintel-lectualagencyacrosscontexts(i.ewithinoneAfrican-centeredandoneplace-basedschool).
Amber Bailey (2009)wasnamedasa2015AdvocacyScholarforPreservationAction.Sheis a public historian committed to using thepasttoeducateandengagehercommunityandadoptedhometownofChicago.Herinterestinhistoricpreservationisrootedinherdesiretobe a steward and advocate for marginalizedcommunitiesandhistoricplaceswithinthem.Tothisend,sheisespeciallyinterestedinhowhistoricpreservationcanbeusedasatooltorevitalizeeconomicallydepressedareas.
Maia Roberson (2011) hasdecidedtoattendtheUniversityofUtahtopursueaPhD.
Carolanne Sanders (2009)hasdecidedontheUniversityofWashingtontogetherMasterofPublicHealthinCommunityOrientedPublicHealthPracticewithaconcentrationinhealthpolicy.ShemovestoSeattleinthefall.■
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