Outreach and
Commmunity Involvement
The background image is a composite image of the Sun. High-energy X-rays from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) are shown in blue; low-energy X-rays from Japan's Hinode spacecraft are green; and extreme ultraviolet light from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is yellow and red. https://www.nasa.gov/jpl/pia19821/nustar-stares-at-the-sun
I Do More Than Science!
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Growing up in the Chicagoland area, I saw the many distractions that could deter people from achieving their dreams. I have been fortunate to have certain individuals and programs in my life that instilled confidence, self-respect and belief in myself. These are some of the reasons that I have been successful today. I remember how difficult it can be to achieve goals and dreams. That is why I make a continual effort to help others on their paths to attain success in their life in the communities that I am involved in.
I have been a mentor in two programs during graduate school. I have also been a mentee myself during high school. I continually speak to grade school and high school students about their futures and careers. I also conduct science outreach via numerous programs and at different universities that I have been to. A description of some of these activities is below.
January 2015 -
December 2017
CU Cafe (Cultural Awareness for Everyone) is a collective of diverse STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) graduate students and postdocs that strive to build community, racial and ethnic diversity and empowerment at the University of Colorado (CU) through our events and organization. To find out more please check out our website . With the help of funds from the University of Colorado, BioFrontiers Institute , The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement (ODECE), and the Chancellor to run a Seminar Series, where we team up with our respective departmnets to bring diverse colloquium speakers. These speakers also bring a mentee or colleague on their visit to the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Member and
Seminar Series Director
Impact The Youth Program
January 2013 -
May 2015
The Impact The Youth (ITY) program focuses on giving Colorado high school youth exposure to the college atmosphere. In ITY’s inaugural year, we held a series of workshops at the University of Colorado for the mentees. The workshops included a tour of CU’s Law School , a demonstration by the Physics Department, and a tour of the Athletic Center .
Mentor
January 2010 -
May 2011
The SPOT is a community outreach program for Chicago inner city youths that have moved to Iowa City. I helped lead groups of over fifty high school students in team building exercises, Christian development, and leadership skills activities. The SPOT strives to help alleviate many issues that students face while adjusting to their new environment.
Group Leader
Iowa City, IA
Alpha Phi Alpha,
Leaders of Tomorrow Program
August 2003 -
May 2004
Distinguished men from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity served as mentors and organized numerous workshops that discussed: how to succeed in high school, how to get to college, the responsibilities of being a man and financial competency. We also attended a field trip to Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. That experience helped give me self-confidence, pride and made me think seriously about my future for the first time. If it were not for this experience and the mentorship that I received, I probably would not have gone to college. I am truely greatful for this program.
Mentee
Chicago, IL, USA