Johns Hopkins welcomes third cohort of Vivien Thomas Scholars

Johns Hopkins University marked the arrival of its third cohort Vivien Thomas Scholars on Aug. 16, officially welcoming the 19 new PhD students during a reception at the Evergreen Museum and Library on the Homewood campus.

These scholars join a prestigious Johns Hopkins program named for one of the institution's most celebrated figures. Vivien Thomas was a Black surgical laboratory supervisor at the Johns Hopkins Hospital for nearly four decades beginning in the 1940s; he trained generations of surgeons and scientists at Hopkins and is perhaps best known for his critical contributions to a lifesaving cardiac surgical technique developed to treat "blue baby syndrome."

The Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative, inspired by his legacy, aims to create pathways for exceptional students from historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions to pursue PhDs in STEM fields at Johns Hopkins.

This year's cohort joins the 20 Vivien Thomas Scholars who arrived in the summer of 2022 and 15 who entered the program a year ago. They come to Baltimore from some of the nation's leading HBCUs and minority-serving institutions and will pursue a wide range of STEM fields at Hopkins, including immunology, biomedical engineering, psychological and brain sciences, neuroscience, mechanical engineering, and cellular and molecular medicine.

"We know how absolutely amazing each of you are, and we all are just so thrilled to have you join us for this next phase of your life journeys," Damani Piggott, VTSI's executive director and associate vice provost for graduate diversity and partnerships, said during Friday's celebration. "Thank you for entrusting that journey to us. We are here today with collective strength to travel this next phase of your journey with you, rooted in historical force and with full aspiration and boundless commitment to you along whatever road you elect to trod, to ensure that you continue to soar in your journeys ahead in all the ways that you so richly deserve."

The Vivien Thomas Scholars program was announced in May 2021 and is backed by a $150 million gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies' Greenwood Initiative, the first-ever Bloomberg Philanthropies portfolio dedicated solely to advancing racial wealth equity.

Over six years, the initiative will grow to support 100 PhD students in JHU's more than 30 STEM programs at the schools of Arts & Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, and Public Health. Vivien Thomas Scholars receive up to six years of full tuition support, a stipend, health benefits, as well as mentorship, research, and professional development opportunities.

"The Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative does more than just deliver on our commitment to create more pathways into STEM for Black and brown scholars and support them on their academic journey. It's an investment in the future," said Garnesha Ezediaro, who leads Bloomberg Philanthropies' Greenwood Initiative. "Bloomberg Philanthropies' Greenwood Initiative, in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, has supported three cohorts of talented PhD scholars who will become leaders in their field, generating cutting-edge research, technology, and innovation. They have the potential to change the world."

Third Vivien Thomas Scholars cohort

Alexandria Falcon, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Undergraduate institution: University of California, Davis

Andrew Barber, Immunology
Undergraduate institution: North Carolina Central University

Antonio Ortega, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Undergraduate institution: The University of Texas at Arlington

Chiad Onyeje, Biomedical Engineering
Undergraduate institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Danielle Wills, Immunology
Undergraduate institution: Howard University

Georgina Martinez, Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology
Undergraduate institution: The University of Texas at El Paso

Jared Jaroszewski, Psychological and Brain Sciences
Undergraduate institution: St. Mary's University

Jasmine Terrell, Pathobiology
Undergraduate institution: Howard University

Jhanay Davis, Human Genetics and Genomics
Undergraduate institution: Virginia Commonwealth University

Jonathan Harpe, Neuroscience
Undergraduate institution: North Carolina Central University

Justin Bromell, Immunology
Undergraduate institution: Morehouse College

Luis Flores, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Undergraduate institution: The University of Texas at San Antonio

MaKhaila Bentil, Computer Science
Undergraduate institution: Virginia State University

Meucci Ilunga, Biostatistics
Undergraduate institution: University of Arizona

Myles Pope, Physics and Astronomy
Undergraduate institution: Howard University

Oizoshimoshiofu Dimowo, Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology
Undergraduate institution: Fisk University

Salma Saenz, Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences
Undergraduate institution: The University of Texas at El Paso

Viviana Smart, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Undergraduate institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Yensabro Kanashiro, Mechanical Engineering
Undergraduate institution: Miami Dade College