In Action
Add it to your reading list: Dennis Ojogho, MS ’12, published his first novel, The Dreams of Our Ancestors, inspired by his mom's incredible life. Through triumph and loss, love and heartbreak, joy and sorrow—this book tells the story of a young Nigerian woman’s American Dream while exploring themes of kinship, the immigrant experience, gender norms, and race relations. The book is available on Amazon and you can read a sample on Medium.
Forming part of a Global Community of Leaders: Namra Zulfiqar, MS ’17, was selected to form part of the 2023 cohort of Schwarzman Scholars to complete a one-year, fully-funded master’s program at Tsinghua University in Beijing! The Master of Global Affairs degree program provides an international network of high caliber global leaders, academics and innovators the opportunity to work together and serve as a bridge between China and the rest of the world.
Women in Leadership: Sarah Deonarain, MS ’19, was selected for the 2022 Fitzie Award which recognizes and rewards outstanding young women from Harvard College, the Harvard Business School, Tenacre Country Day School and Dana Hall School, institutions that Fitzie Grogan Petersmeyer attended. Sarah joins an ever-growing network of past winners and Foundation supporters and she received a monetary grant which will assist in her career development. Previous awardees have used their funding to travel and live abroad, which is one of Sarah’s top priorities upon graduation! You can learn more about the award here.
Promoting diversity and inclusivity in the asset management industry: Eli Gramajo, MS ’15, will be honored at Nicsa’s 2022 Fearless Leadership Symposium as an awardee of the Rising Star Program, a mentorship program aimed at providing networking and career development opportunities to diverse, aspiring leaders in the asset management industry. Eli was selected from among a group of highly qualified nominees at MFS Investment Management (Massachusetts Financial Services) due to his demonstrated leadership qualities and commitment to diverse and inclusive work environments. You can read more about this program and see the impressive list of awardees here.
Awarded from Coast to Coast: Dr. Joelle Simpson, MS ’95, was selected as a recipient of the Milken Institute School of Public Health’s 950 Award which recognizes a select number of George Washington Alumni who have demonstrated exceptional professional accomplishments as well as a deep commitment to the university community. A week later Dr. Simpson was honored at the American Academy of Pediatric Conference in Anaheim, CA as the inaugural Jane Knapp Emerging Pediatric Emergency Medicine Leader Awardee due to her outstanding contributions to the field of Pediatric Emergency Medicine during the first 10 years of her career. Brava!
Advancing the Brooklyn Navy Yard: Congratulations to Lindsay Greene, MS ’99, on her appointment as CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation! Lindsay is the first Black woman and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to be at the helm of the Corporation, which houses over 500 businesses and 11,000 employees. She is committed to working alongside residents, businesses, government officials, and various stakeholders to help the city recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and expand inclusivity within its economic growth, particularly for business owners of color and other underrepresented groups. Lindsay has continuously sought ways to advance economic opportunities for diverse communities, and we are confident she’ll continue to make a lasting positive impact in the lives of countless New Yorkers.
Leadership in Education: Congratulations to Ben Sorkin, MS ‘16, for receiving the Dennis Washington Leadership Graduate Scholarship from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. Recipients of this honor are State and National Horatio Alger Scholar Alumni who have exhibited leadership, integrity, entrepreneurial skills, and perseverance in overcoming personal adversity. Out of 200 applicants, Ben was one of eight to receive this award, which includes $120,000 towards a graduate, professional, or doctoral degree in eligible fields. Ben’s passion for education and investing in future generations drives him to further his studies at Harvard’s Ed.M. Masters in Education and Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship program, where he will continue to advocate for better opportunities for all.
Going Global: Congratulations to Samantha O’Sullivan, MS ’18, on being selected as a Rhodes Scholar! As a recipient of one of the most prestigious fully funded programs in the world, Samantha will pursue a Doctorate of Philosophy (DPhil) in Condensed Matter Physics at Oxford University. As an undergraduate at Harvard, Samantha conducted research in plasma physics, nanoscale systems, and astrophysics. Outside of the lab, she advocates for social justice, through her published work on how dress codes are biased against Black girls and she founded an organization that addresses issues tied to the legacy of slavery. There is no doubt Samantha will continue using her unique multidisciplinary lens to uplift communities and advance scientific discoveries for years to come.
Leading the Way on Climate: Sarah Hsu, MS ‘13, recently received the Switzer Fellowship for Environmental Leadership in recognition of her work organizing medical students for climate justice. Sarah is only the 2nd medical student to ever receive this fellowship in its 35-year history. Congratulations, Sarah! We look forward to continue learning from your innovative and important approach to integrating climate justice into medicine!
Future Physician-Scientist: Congratulations to Richard Ruan, MS ‘18, for being selected as a Berkeley Haas Scholar for his academic and community achievements. Each year, twenty highly qualified, academically talented undergraduates with financial need are selected to come together to build a supportive intellectual community during their final year at UC Berkeley. As a Haas Scholar, Richard's senior year project will be identifying host factors critical for dengue virus NS1 and SARS-CoV-2 Spike pathogeneses. Congratulations again, Ruan! We are excited to see all that will emerge from your work!