The Morgan Way: Exemplifying Excellence, Personifying Leadership

White House HBCU Scholars – 2024 Cohort

When the 2024 cohort of HBCU Scholars was announced by the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Morgan grad student Michaela Hart hoped her name was among those selected for this highly coveted honor. And to her credit, it was. The second-year MA in Music student, with a concentration in instrumental conducting, took her place in the 2024 cohort alongside 109 other students from 77 HBCUs, selected for their academic excellence, leadership potential and community service. 

“I was elated. I was just so grateful,” commented Hart. “I didn't tell anybody I was going for the opportunity. I didn't want to, like, spoil it…. I only told the Office of the President.”

Representing 23 states and 11 countries, this year’s White House HBCU Scholars were chosen from a pool of more than 350 competitive applicants from various disciplines, including STEM, humanities, social sciences and the arts. For consideration in the program, students were tasked with submitting an application that spotlighted their strong commitment to both service and leadership and included a letter of endorsement.

“I (am) just so grateful to President Wilson…. He did my recommendation letter,” Hart said. “The Office of the President definitely made sure I had everything that I needed for my application in a timely manner. And being that they could be so busy, I was just so appreciative of them.”

Throughout the year, the HBCU Scholars will participate in workshops, leadership programs and networking events to enhance their skills and connect with industry leaders and policymakers. Most recently, Hart attended the 2024 Annual National HBCU Week Conference, “Raising the Bar: Where Excellence and Opportunity Meet,” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which took place Sept. 15–19. The conference featured the sixth annual Career and Recruitment Fair, the 10-year anniversary of the HBCU Scholar Recognition Program, a Federal Agency Meet & Greet and more than 50 sessions and workshops.

2025 Minority Student Fellows

Two Morgan standouts from the Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. School of Engineering (SOE) were recently named 2025 Minority Student Fellows. The fellowship is an initiative of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and is designed to increase diversity and inclusiveness in transportation. The Fellows Program aims to cast a deserved light on scholars in disciplines including civil engineering, transportation systems engineering, electrical engineering, criminal justice, environmental science and computer science. Beyah Baylor, a senior majoring in Civil Engineering, and Derrick Cook, an Electrical Engineering major, also in his senior year, are among the 24 Fellows from colleges and universities across the nation named to the 2025 cohort. 

An aspiring transportation engineer committed to enhancing public transportation networks in underserved and low-income communities, Baylor shared how he learned about the program: “I was introduced to this opportunity while conducting undergraduate research on traffic safety and mobility problems in the Baltimore area at the Safety and Behavioral Analysis Lab (SABA Center) here on Morgan’s campus.”

Fellows will participate in the TRB Annual Meeting, slated to take place Jan. 5–9, 2025, in Washington, D.C., where they’ll present their research during a poster session and engage in various activities, including a daylong orientation, networking events, Young Members Council sessions and committee meetings.

“I was notified (of my selection as a Fellow) during a research meeting, and words cannot describe how I felt. I was speechless,” added Baylor.

In addition, Morgan’s Fellows will be paired with a mentor to support their academic and professional development. TRB, a program unit of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, established the Minority Student Fellows Program in 2010 to explore research, ideas and solutions from diverse perspectives.

Du Bois Scholars at Harvard

Before the start of Morgan’s fall semester, international student Tomisin Adebari, a senior majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry, represented Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University in the inaugural cohort of the Du Bois Scholars Program, a research-focused initiative designed for students from select R2 (Carnegie-classified, high-research) HBCUs.

The program fosters intellectual and personal growth while honoring academic excellence through collaboration of Harvard and HBCUs. Open to rising juniors and seniors in good academic standing at 18 partner HBCUs, the program aims to build long-lasting academic and professional networks. Throughout the experience, scholars receive support from Harvard faculty, project teams and the program’s staff. They also have opportunities to attend and present at future conferences.

The highly competitive program generated tremendous interest despite its rigorous application process, which included submission of three essays, transcripts and a recommendation letter. According to Adebari, there were more than 400 applicants from several HBCUs vying for only 20 spots in the program’s first cohort. The competition was extremely high, and, in the end, Adebari was overcome with “a profound sense of responsibility and pride” when notified by her mentor that she was accepted. 

The future physician-scientist aspires to attain a dual Doctor of Medicine–Doctor of Philosophy (MD-PhD) degree, following her studies at Morgan, and plans to eventually practice in the field of computational biology. Adebari, who previously participated in a Johns Hopkins-Morgan joint cancer research initiative and in the University Innovation Fellowship Program at Stanford, says the Du Bois Scholars Program at Harvard is among the most enlightening opportunities she has experienced.

“The takeaway from my experience was the power of collective growth and representation. Engaging with peers from other HBCUs, each with their own unique academic paths, inspired me to return to mine with a renewed sense of purpose,” said Adebari. “Learning from them and the program challenged me to think beyond the confines of my scientific training and appreciate the broader cultural and intellectual movements that influence our society.”

Through their actions, Michaela Hart, Beyah Baylor, Derrick Cook and Tomisin Adebari are not only achieving personal success but also elevating the reputation of Morgan State University, demonstrating that a commitment to excellence leads to limitless possibilities. Join us as we celebrate their accomplishments and their lasting impact on Morgan’s community and beyond.