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BLACK COLLEGE INSTITUTESUMMER PROGRAMJUNIORS
SCHEDULESUNDAY - JUNE 282:00 PM - 3:30 PMOpening Ceremony - Family nightMONDAY - JUNE 291:00 PM - 1:30 PMWelcome back and Student Staff Leaders Introductions1:30 PM - 2:30 PM2:30 PM - 3:00 PMBreakout into groupsSocial Justice Presentation3:00 PM - 3:10 PMBreak3:10 PM - 4:00 PM4:00 PM - 5:00 PMCollege Student PanelGroup timeTUESDAY - JUNE 301:00 PM - 1:15 PMWelcome and fun fact about Virginia Tech1:15 PM - 1:45 PMUndergraduate Admissions Presentation1:45 PM - 2:15 PM2:15 PM - 2:25 PMGroup timeBreak2:25 PM - 3:30 PMAcademic Colleges Rotations (3)3:30 PM - 5:00 PMGroup timeWEDNESDAY - JULY 11:00 PM - 1:15 PM1:15 PM - 2:45 PMWelcome and fun fact about Virginia TechAcademic Colleges Rotations (4)2:45 PM - 2:55 PMBreak3:00 PM - 4:00 PM4:00 PM - 5:00 PMGroup time: closing remarksClosing Ceremony - Social justice projects presentation
LEADERSHIP TEAMMenah Pratt-Clarke is the VicePresident for Strategic Affairs andDiversity at Virginia Tech. She is alsoProfessor of Education in the School ofEducation in the College of Liberal Artsand Human Sciences, with affiliationsin Africana Studies, Women’s andGender Studies, and the Department ofSociology. Prior to joining Virginia Tech,she served as Associate ChancellorMenah Pratt-Clarke, J.D., Ph.D.for Strategic Affairs and AssociateProvost for Diversity at the University ofIllinois at Urbana-Champaign for nine years. She has a bachelor’s degree from theUniversity of Iowa with a major in English and minors in Philosophy and AfricanAmerican Studies. She received her master’s degree in Literary Studies from theUniversity of Iowa and a master’s degree in Sociology from Vanderbilt University.In addition, she earned her PhD and JD from Vanderbilt University. Her researchinterests include transdisciplinary analysis of diversity issues in higher education.In 2018, A Black Woman’s Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor:Lessons about race, gender, and class in America was awarded the AmericanEducation Studies Association Critics’ Choice Award for scholarship deemed tobe outstanding in its field. Additional books include Journeys of Social Justice:Women of Color Presidents in the Academy (Peter Lang, 2017) and Reflectionson Race, Gender, and Culture in Cuba (Peter Lang, 2017). From Black Girlhood toBlack Womanhood: A Wild Womanist Journey is forthcoming. She is also a trainedclassical pianist and violinist, and former athlete on the professional tennis circuit.Dannette grew up in South Texasand went to an AAAAA (5A) publicschool. She left Texas to attend HollinsUniversity - a small, women’s, liberalarts school in Virginia. It was therethat she learned she wanted a careerin higher education. After graduation,Dannette joined AmeriCorps in anassignment with College Summit whereshe helped low income, inner-cityDannette Gomez Beane, Ph.D.youth apply for college. This work ledher to pursue a Masters in CounselorEducation and secure a job in college admissions. After completing her Mastersdegree, she became an academic advisor at Virginia Tech’s College of Architectureand Urban Studies. The academic work led her to pursue a doctorate and to workwith graduate students. Dannette served as the Director of Graduate Recruitmentand Diversity Initiatives for seven years and completed her Ph.D. part time.Today, she serves as the Director of Recruitment and Operations for the Office ofUndergraduate Admissions at Virginia Tech.Ellington Graves is an Associate ViceProvost for Inclusion and Diversity andthe Director of the Africana StudiesProgram in the Department of Sociology.He has been a faculty member atVirginia Tech for 19 years, teachingcourses ranging from SociologicalTheory and Social Inequity to AfricanAmerican Identity and Leadership forChange. He received his B.A. in SociologyEllington Graves, Ph.D.from the The Johns Hopkins University,his M.S. in Sociology from Virginia Tech,and his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Hometown: Ivor, VA.Dr. Crasha V. Townsend hasdedicated more than 16 yearsto a career in higher education,specifically focused on socialjustice and leadership development.She also serves as a consultantin higher education and for smallbusiness development. Dr. Townsendhas worked to foster large-scalediversity initiatives and providedCrasha V. Townsend, Ph.D.community outreach at both privateand public institutions. Townsendhas held national leadership roles with her work in diversity and inclusion, andwas the Co-Founder and Director of the Ujima Institute for Black Professionalsin Higher Education. Townsend brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, andenergy in promoting social justice and leadership development throughouthigher education and within her local community. Her research is on Blackwomen in leadership, and she enjoys identifying promising practices andpolicies that recruit, retain, and lead to the increased representation of peoplefrom marginalized communities.Andrew Alston is Program Assistantwith the Office for Inclusion andDiversity at Virginia Tech. He is also afull-time student: a senior Physchologymajor and spanish minor at VirginiaTech. He is also a second-yearBusiness Management major at NewRiver Community College in Dublin,VA. Alston, a native of Hampton, VA,began working for the universityin Spring of 2016 as a TechnicalAndrew AlstonAssistant & SafeRide Operator withthe Virginia Tech Police Department.He later worked within large scale conference planning with Continuing andProfessional Education at Virginia Tech, as a Conference Registrar, serving on ateam that managed nearly 400 programs per year, serving 35,000 participants.In his current role as Program Assistant, Andrew strives to provide leadership onInclusiveVT, Virginia Tech’s institutional and individual commitment to Ut Prosim(That I May Serve) in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence.Chatrice Barnes currently serves asthe Associate Director for DiversityPrograms within the Office of Inclusionand Diversity. Prior to that sheserved as the Assistant Director forStudent Organizations and LeadershipDevelopment in Student Engagementand Campus Life. Before coming toVirginia Tech she earned her Master’sDegree in Higher Education at MiamiUniversity, in Oxford, Ohio where sheChatrice Barnesconcentrated on the intersectionof student development theory andsocial identity development. Chatrice is excited for all of the 2020 participantsbecause BCI offers the wonderful opportunity to center Black voices and livedexperiences. She wishes everyone the best of luck as they continue their journey ofself-understanding.
Tyler Brentley is the Director of theBlack Cultural Center. A Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania native, he receivedhis Bachelors in Pre-Law fromYoungstown State University, where healso earned his M.S.Ed in Counseling.He joins the Virginia Tech teamfrom Erie, Pennsylvania, where hepreviously served as the Multicultural& Inclusion Coordinator at MercyhurstUniversity. In his current role, heTyler Brentleysupports the university’s diversity andinclusion efforts by developing events,programs, and services that facilitate the academic, social, and cultural well-beingof Black and African American students.Luisa earned her Bachelors from JamesMadison University in Political Science.Then worked for a white collar crime lawfirm for a year before starting her Mastersin Higher Education at Virginia Tech. Shehas served in several roles at Virginia Techincluding working for Student SuccessCenter, Cultural and Community Centers,The Graduate School Office of Recruitment,Diversity, and Inclusion; and The ProvostOffice of Inclusion and Diversity. Today,Luisa BurgosLuisa serves as Assistant Director for theOffice of Undergraduate Admissions. She isvery excited to bring her experiences to help underserved and marginalized populationsthrive at Virginia Tech!Dalayna Gardner is a San Diego,California native. She earned herundergraduate degree in CulturalAnthropology at the University ofCalifornia, Riverside, followed by aMaster of Science in Counseling andHuman Development at the Universityof Rochester. Her specialty is cultivatinginnovative programs and opportunitiesin order to create a greater sense ofDalayna Gardnercommunity for students of color. Hereat Virginia Tech Dalayna intends toimplement programs that address the academic, cultural, and social needs ofthe Ujima Living-Learning Community. In her spare time, she enjoys collectingLepidopterans, photography, and painting.Tiffany Jordan holds an undergraduatedegree in Sociology with a minorin Women and Gender Studies andAmerican Ethnic Studies from WakeForest University. After college, shejoined Teach for America, an organizationdedicated to improving the education ofchildren from low-income communities,where she taught high school historyin Charlotte, NC. In 2014, she beganTiffany Jordanthe pursuit of her graduate degree atCornell University in Ithaca, NY, whereshe focused on the pipeline from schools to prisons and efforts to decrease themass incarceration of African-Americans in the United States. During her time atCornell, she took a sabbatical to work at D.C. Public Schools and the White Houseunder President Barack Obama. In 2016, she returned to Ithaca and graduated fromCornell University with a Master of Public Administration degree. In August of thatyear, she became a 2016 Teach for America Capitol Hill Fellow where she workedfor Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (D-MA) on education policy, healthcare, criminaljustice reform and civil rights issues, while also serving as her Press Assistant.Since returning to Virginia in 2017, she has served as the Recruitment andRetention Coordinator for Roanoke City Public Schools, working to increase thediversity of their teaching and administrative staff. Most recently, she served as theAssistant Director of the Talent Search Program with the Virginia Tech TRIO Office.Liana LewisJohn MarshalAlthough his background has been inInformation Technology, Lee Hawkins hasworked for Virginia Tech for many yearsand has been the full-time developer forthe Office of Undergraduate Admissions –and by extension, the larger Virginia Techcommunity – for the last six years. Hisadditional skills include multiple dynamicprogramming languages, web-accessibletechnologies, and search engineoptimization (SEO) and he is an aspiringLee Hawkinsphotographer. Lee believes in the missionof enabling young people to pursue highereducation and the development of resources geared towards those ends. He first tookpart in BCI in 2019 as a photographer and auxiliary support and is excited to help in alarger capacity for the 2020 program.Liana is currently enrolled in the HigherEducation Masters program at VirginiaTech and serves as a Graduate Assistantwith the Cultural and CommunityCenters. She has an interest in studentengagement and social justice educationand her goal post-grad is to work towardsincreasing retention of minority studentsat higher education institutions.John Marshal is a doctoral student inSociology. He brings to BCI a passion tohelp youth cultivate skills for academicsuccess and leadership effectiveness.John also holds a master’s degree inPublic Administration from the Universityof Oregon and a bachelor’s degree inCommunications from Linfield College(McMinnville, Oregon). He John is happilymarried and is father to a two-year oldprincess.Benito Nieves serves as the AssociateDirector of Cultural and CommunityCenters. He comes to VT from GeorgiaInstitute of Technology, where he servedas a Residence Hall Director for Graduateand Family Housing. His additionalexperiences extend to PrincetonUniversity, Emory University, and KeanUniversity. The New Jersey native earnedhis Master of Education in CollegeBenito NievesStudent Affairs from Rutgers University.His passions include tabletop and boardgaming communities, geocaching, loose leaf tea, and writing for the student affairsfield. Strengths: Communication/Strategic/Activator/Woo/Maximizer
Joining us from the City of Hampton,Mr. Duston Scarborough is an alumniof Virginia Tech by way of the PamplinCollege of Business. After completinghis undergraduate experience in 2013with a degree in Marketing Management,Mr. Scarborough began his career withFerguson Enterprise as a sales trainee attheir corporate offices in Newport News,VA. After a short time with the company,Duston switched directions and took on aDuston Scarboroughnew industry: urban retail. Beginning as asales associate with industry leader DTLRInc. (Now DTLRVILLA with a recent acquisition), he quickly ascended the ranks, landingthe role of Corporate Community Outreach Coordinator at the company’s headquartersin Baltimore, Maryland. Also in his time away from Tech, Mr. Scarborough has been anactive part of alumni efforts, having served three years on the Black Alumni ReunionCommittee and two with the Black College Institute, the latter paving the way for hisreturn to campus! Duston is excited to be home here in Blacksburg and to contribute tothe rapidly improving climate for diversity in his new role as the Associate Director ofStudent Opportunities and Achievement Resources (SOAR) in the Office of Inclusion andDiversity (OID).Stacey Wilkerson, Ph.D.Inclusion and Diversity.Stacey Wilkerson is a doctoral candidatein Higher Education Administration atVirginia Tech. Her research interests includeaccess, retention, and degree attainmentfor underrepresented minoritized studentsand first-generation students. She is alsoespecially interested in the history of highereducation in the United States. Staceyhas experiences working with first-yearinitiatives, Title IX, crisis management,retention, student success, and large scaleprogramming. Stacey currently servesas the Chief of Staff within the Office forHailing from the Southside of Chicago,Donnell serves as an Admissions Counselorin Office of Undergraduate Admissionswith a passion for accessibility andaffordability for underrepresented youths.Donnell earned his Bachelors Degree atthe University of Virginia and continuedhis service in the Virginia College AdvisingCorps as a College Advisor at ArmstrongHigh School in Richmond, VA. Some of hishobbies/interest are African AmericanDonnell WrightHistory, movies(action/comedy) and music.You can always catch Donnell saying Popinstead of soda and hanging out with friends.
STUDENT STAFF LEADERSHIPMy name is Kojo Akrong, and I’m a risingjunior from Richmond, Virginia. I’m majoringin electrical engineering with a minor inbusiness leadership. Some activities I enjoyinclude photography, hanging out with somefriends, and playing soccer. On campus,I’m involved with a couple of organizationsincluding National Society of Black Engineers,African Student Association and others.Kojo AkrongChinyelu AnakorCourtney BaileyI am a rising sophomore from Woodbridge,Virginia. I plan to major in BusinessInformation Technology and hope to minorin Computer Science. In my spare time I liketo take professional photos, watch netflix,try new things and explore. I’m involved inmultiple campus organizations like BSA, ASA,PUMP, etc and am also a Freshman MeritScholar. My favorite sport is lacrosse and Ihope to join the club team here at VirginiaTech. It’s my first year as a Student Leaderand I’m very excited to work with and meetyou all!!I am a recent graduate with a major inBiochemistry and a minor in Chemistry. Iintend to go to graduate school to obtaina Masters of Management in Science andthen a Masters of Business Administration.I served as the president of Surge CampusMinistries which helps foster a safecommunity for college students and youngprofessionals to explore the gospel of JesusChrist. I also served as a Howard HughesFellow for Diversity and Inclusion at VirginiaTayah AndrewsTech. My hobbies include singing, napping,cooking, and working out.Hometown: Chesapeake, Virginia Major: biochemistry Minor: Chemistry Studentinvolvement: Surge Campus Ministries, SAAS, Inclusion and Diversity Fellow,Biochemistry Peer Mentor College: College of Agriculture and Life SciencesMy name is Isabel Baba and I am a risingsenior at Virginia Tech. I am a double-major inEntrepreneurship, Innovation, and TechnologyManagement, and Digital Marketing Strategy.I am from NOVA and I aspire to turn any oneof my hobbies into a career. I enjoy writing,fitness and health, modeling, watching tv, etc.A fun fact about me is that my favorite animeis Naruto. Throughout my years at Tech, I havebeen apart of many organizations such as theAfrican Student Association, Student AfricanIsabel BabaAmerican Sisterhood, Student OpportunitiesAchievement Resources (SOAR), and theWahala Dance Team. Currently, I am in the American Marketing Association.My name is Courtney and I am a risingsophomore from Richmond, Virginia. I ammajoring in Creative Technologies with hopesto become a 2D animator post-graduation.In my spare time, I prefer to draw, read webcomics, and watch anime. I have always beeninspired by the immense world of fiction, andmy dream is to contribute back to that field inthe best way that I can. At Virginia Tech, I havebeen heavily involved in theatre workshopswith the School of Performing Arts, and Iam currently residing in a Living LearningCommunity for the Arts, Studio 72.Rising sophomore. English and Communicationmajor with a Spanish and Visual Arts minor.From Centreville, VA. Wants to become a 12thgrade english teacher or communicationsspecialist. Likes reading and walking. Fun fact:Ghanaian. Campus involvement: Chi AlphaMinistries and Aspiring Journalists.Sydney BrobbeyElysia Budu is a recent alum of Virginia Techfrom Chesterfield, Virginia. She receivedher degrees History and Political Science.Her many activities on campus include theMarching Virginian’s, Tau Beta Sigma; a musicservice sorority, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.,ambassador for the History Department,president of the History Honors Society andCultural Dance Crew. Upon taking a gap yearshe plans to get her masters and later her PhDElysia Buduin History and become a professor. While oncampus you most likely would find me in theHistory Department. Fun fact: I am the firstperson in my family to graduate from college and I won’t be the last.Angel Bynum-HardyI am a rising junior majoring in ClinicalNeuroscience with a minor in Spanish fromChesapeake, Va. On campus I serve as theVice President of Student African AmericanSisterhood (SAAS), the exiting President ofMinorities in Agriculture Natural Resourcesand Related Sciences (MANRRS) and a memberof the Black Student Alliance (BSA). Aftergraduation, I plan on going to medical school.In my free time, I love watching Netflix, readinga book, hanging out with friends or trying newrecipes in the kitchen.
I am a rising sophomore from Laurel,Maryland, with a double major in politicalscience and statistics. My goal is to becomea professional scientist, hoping to work withissues such as the gap in education andincarceration among African Americans. In myfree time I like to play basketball and watchNetflix.Caleb CallenderLauren DavisLauren DessaureAxel GomezI am a rising senior from Fairfax, VA studyingPolitical Science with a focus on NationalSecurity. I would like to pursue a career inFederal Emergency Management. During myfirst year at Virginia Tech, I held the positionof co-chair for the VT Transfer LeadershipCouncil and I am currently the Secretary forthe Black Organizations Council of VirginiaTech. When I’m not doing school work, myhobbies include: hiking, hanging out withfriends, and listening to music.Hi there! My name is Lauren Dessaureand I’m a rising Junior majoring in HumanNutrition, Foods, and Exercise and minoringin Africana Studies! I’m from Alexandria,Virginia and love to cook and bake (I work in abakery downtown Blacksburg!). I’m currentlyserving as the President of the StudentAfrican American Sisterhood at VT and am arepresentative in the Student GovernmentAssociation. In my free time I love taking naps,watching TED talks, and relaxing with friendsand family.I am a rising junior majoring in appliedeconomic management with a minor inscience, technology and law. In my freetime I like to cook, listen to music and watchanime. My future career goal is to become aconsultant and work in the renewable energyindustry. My future life goal is to start acharity and give back to those in need.Edward GainesDiamond GilliamMy name is Diamond Gilliam. I’m a junior/senior i’m graduating a semester early to takea gap semester before law school. My major isHistory. I have a double minor in InternationalStudies and Africana Studies. I am from NorthCarolina but I live in Norfolk, Va. I want to be alawyer for the American Civil Liberties Unionor a Jag Officer. My hobbies include writingpoetry and being apart of NAACP at VT. Mypassion is to fight for those who don’t havethe voice to do so. For a fun fact, I have 17siblings in total.I am a rising sophomore from Chesapeake,Virginia, I am majoring in BusinessInformation Technology with a concentrationin Decision Support Systems. During myfreshman year I enjoyed eating, hangingout with my friends, and going out on theweekends. At Virginia Tech I am involvedin Yates Society, Pamplin LeadershipDevelopment Team, and a New Horizonsscholar. Going into my sophomore yearI plan to focus on securing externshipand internship opportunities focusing onconsulting in the private sector.Halcyeon Guy is a rising senior majoring inInternational Relations and Criminology witha minor in Italian. She resides in Danville,Virginia when she is not living in Blacksburg.Her goal is to work as a federal agent with theDepartment of State upon graduation. She isinvolved in many organizations on campusincluding the Black Student Alliance, theAfrican Student Association, and the globalliving-learning community Mozaiko. Sheworked as a Resident Advisor in Payne HallHalcyeon Guyfor the living-learning community Meraki, andshe worked as a Hokie Mentorship ConnectAmbassador for Career and Professional Development. In the fall of 2019, Halcyeonstudied abroad in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland where she focused on her InternationalRelations and Italian studies through immersion.Hi! I am a recent Virginia Tech graduate with aBachelor’s degree in Political Science - LegalStudies and a minor in International Business. Iam originally from Greensboro, NC and will beliving there for my academic gap year beforeattending Law School to pursue a career incorporate law. While at Virginia Tech, I wasSecretary for the Theta Phi Chapter of AlphaKappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a memberof various other social and service basedorganizations. Currently, I enjoy reading,Alexandra Hollandwatching Netflix, or spending time with myfriends. I look forward to being a Student StaffLeader to work with and mentor others while giving back to my community for the nextgeneration.I’m a rising sophomore from Mechanicsville,VA. I’m a double major in English and PublicRelations as well as a double minor in Spanishand Entrepreneurship. Last year, I graduatedfrom a dual enrollment program and earned myassociate’s from Reynolds Community College.I’m looking to gain more experience in mymajors and minors to solidify a career path, aswell as looking into the possibility of attendinglaw school. I’m vice president of a new studentAsia Ingramorganization on campus called Transmutewhere we aim to improve minority communitiesthrough professional development, cultural excursions, and post-graduate opportunities.I’m also interested in anything music related and participating in theatre productions!I’m Jordan Lozama, a recent graduateof Virginia Tech. I received a B.A. inCommunication and a B.S. in Consumer Studies.I have a passion of helping people, especiallythose who are underrepresented. One funfact about me is that I am a twin. Throughoutmy time at Virginia Tech I consistently heldmembership in the Black Organizations Counciland Caribbean Student Organization (CaribSO).Jordan Lozama
Jewel MayoAndrea MooreMy name is Jewel Mayo, I am a rising sophomorefrom Chesterfield, Va. I major in HumanNutrition Food, and Exercise. Upon completionof my undergraduate career, I plan on attendingPhysician Assistant school. I actively participatein a few clubs and organizations at Virginia Tech.From being a Yates Scholar and a member ofthe LLC (living and learning community. I loveinteracting with new people and staying busy. Forfun I love to shop, play with my dog, spending timewith my family, and write. Before graduating I hopeto study abroad to either Europe or South America.My name is Andrea Moore and I am anInternational Relations major, planning to minor inArabic. I am hoping to pursue a career in foreigndiplomacy, and affairs. I play tennis and aminvolved with the women’s tennis program at techand I am also involved in BSA, SAAS, and I will bea mentor in the Ujima LLC. I love traveling, tryingnew things and meeting new people. This is myfirst year as a student staff leader for BCI and I’mvery excited!I am a rising junior from Herndon, VA majoring inPolitical Science and Economics with a minor inScience, Technology, and Law. My goals for thefuture including attending law school or possiblyworking abroad. I love to stay involved on campusand during my free time I love to hang out withfriends and watch Netflix.Mamai MulwandaHello everyone! My name is Deshawn Murchisonand I am a rising sophomore from Richmond,Virginia studying Landscape Architecture. Oncampus, I serve as the Director for the CulturalDance Crew, I am the President of a new campusorg, Transmute, and I am the Director of Arts andCulture for the Black Student Alliance. During myfree time, I love listening to music and hanging outwith friends.Deshawn MurchisonI am a rising junior , majoring in MechanicalEngineering , I am from Warri, Nigeria. I ampassionate about sports, I play mostly Volleyball,basketball and soccer. Hobbies: I like to watch TVand hanging out with friends . Fun fact : I have twohigh school diplomas . On Campus, I am a memberof a dance team called “Cultural dance Crew.”Maro OruerioJustin PennMatias Montenegro SandovalMy name is Justin Penn, I am a rising juniormajoring in Architecture with minors in bothHousing and Property Management. I was bornand raised in Richmond, VA and I have lived in thesame house my entire life. I am very passionateabout the ability that design and architecturehave to personally affect and influence everydaylife. I hope to use this immense power to aid thosethat need help the most, including individuals withlower-incomes and those that are discriminatedagainst.my name is Matias Montenegro Sandoval, and iam a junior majoring in architecture. i was born inlima, peru but have lived in fairfax, virginia for themajority of life. opening up my own design firmwould be amazing, but who knows what life has tooffer. catch me going on jogs or in studio. did youknow i can speak spanish fluently? yo puedo. myhair is very curly. if you get involved with campus,catch me at Latin Link or FASA (Filipino AmericanStudent Association) general body meetings.
Hello, my name is Jeriyah Savage. I am fromHampton, Virginia. I am entering into mysophomore year this fall. I currently doublemajor in Political Science and Criminology,in the College of Liberal Arts and HumanSciences. Politics and the fundamentalunderstanding of the functions of thegovernment are passions of mine. Upongraduation, I intend on applying to law schoolto pursue my career goal of becominga Criminal Defense Attorney. In my freeJeriyah Savagetime, I enjoy reading, watching movies, andspending time with my family. This will be myfirst summer as a Student Staff Leader. I am truly elated to meet you all and to gain newexperiences. Hope to see you soon!Hi everyone, my name is Isabella Schwartzand I am a graduated senior who majored inPsychology! I am passionate about educationand will be pursuing my masters in educationso that I can become a teacher in the future.I mostly spend my time learning new recipesand painting the things I love. I got back intothese hobbies when I got into VT becausethey are activities that are comforting to me!Isabella SchwartzMy name is Classy Shepherd and I am fromAlexandria, VA. I am a sophomore majoringin CLinical Neuroscience. My goal in lifeis to go to medical school and become aForensic Pathologist. I like to hang out withmy friends and listen to music. At VirginiaTech, I am involved in Black Student Allianceand A.W.A.R.E.Classy ShepherdDe’Vonte Tinsleyobstacles in their lives.I am a rising Sophomore at Virginia Techpursuing two majors, one in the Russianlanguage and the other in History. Russianhistory has been my passion since the youngage of 10 and I have dedicated myself topursuing a career in education teachingRussian. After Virginia Tech I plan to receive mymaster’s Degree and PhD at a university in theRussian Federation and become a professor ofRussian history and the Russian language. I amdedicated to encouraging youth, specificallyblack youth to pursue their dreams despitethe enormous culture, financial, and personalMy name is Taylor Whitehurst and I am a risingsophomore from Virginia Beach, Virginia.Currently, I am majoring in Political Sciencewith a concentration in Legal Studies. I one dayhope to be a lawyer, judge, and then ultimatelybecome a justice on the Supreme Court. Thispast year, I lived and actively participated in theUjima Living Learning Community on campus.I also worked at the Print Center at NewmanLibrary. During my free time, you will catchme watching the Real Housewives of Atlanta,Taylor Whitehurstdoing nails, or on the phone with my cousinwho encouraged me to apply to BCI during myjunior year of high school. Participating in BCI was an integral part of my decision to chooseVirginia Tech, and I hope it is for you too!
Education Masters program at Virginia Tech and serves as a Graduate Assistant with the Cultural and Community Centers. She has an interest in student engagement and social justice education and her goal post-grad is to work towards increasing retention of minority students at higher education institutions. Tiffany Jordan Liana Lewis
