Student Panelists Share Hopes, Experiences
Full House Greets Speakers at Black/African American Panel Discussion on Campus
Students, faculty, and staff filled a room Feb. 10 in the Library Annex to hear from a group of students who shared their experiences during the “Stories from Our Black/African American Community” panel discussion.
Dr. Gayle Cummings, Director of the Public Health Program and Assistant Dean of the College of Health Sciences, served as moderator. Cummings posed questions designed to breathe life into the individual and collective experiences of the panelists with an eye toward greater representation within the health care profession.
Two student alums served on the panel: Student Doctor Beatrice Ojekunle, a Dual DO/MPH Class of 2028 candidate and MSMHS Class of 2024 alumna; and Student Doctor Destany Michael, a DO Class of 2028 candidate and a two-time alumna – MPH Class of 2023 and MSMHS Class of 2024.
Alumni Seek to Reach Younger Generation
Both Michael and Ojekunle spoke of their desire to reach out to young students to share their stories.
“Our strategy is rooted in early exposure and sustained mentorship. We believe it’s important to meet students early, especially in middle school, when their ideas about what’s possible are still forming. Seeing role models who look like them can make a powerful difference,” Ojekunle said. “We hope to partner with local schools, community organizations, and existing pipeline programs to create engaging, age-appropriate opportunities to talk about health care careers and higher education.”
The outreach resonates with both but particularly with Michael, who grew up in Vallejo.
The other panelists were Ranieja Matthews Ragster, a Joint MSPAS/MPH Class of 2027 candidate, and Student Pharmacist David Djan, a PharmD Class of 2027 candidate. Each shared their experiences leading to their time at TUC.
Panels Serve to Inform Campus Community
Dr. Mark Gaines, Associate Director of Campus Engagement and Community Affairs, organizes the cultural panels for the campus community.
“The panels have been amazing opportunities for everyone at TUC to come together and learn about our histories, backgrounds, and how to build community,” Gaines said. “Our panel discussions have allowed us to have these important conversations.”
Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a historian, author, and journalist known as the “Father of Black History,” established Negro History Week in February 1926 to ensure the inclusion of Black history as a fundamental part of America’s story. Black History Month was codified 50 years later by presidential proclamation.
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