The Sway | October 2024

Bison Trailblazers | Machine Learning Engineer, Howard Prioleau

by Daliah Ouedraogo | When Howard Prioleau applied for the Google PhD Fellowship in Natural Language Processing, it felt like a natural step towards his journey of diving deeper into the world of computer science. Now, the Howard University doctoral student may make history as the first recipient from an HBCU of the prestigious Google PhD Fellowship. For Prioleau, this achievement would represent a significant milestone in his ongoing dedication to advancing the field of natural language processing.

Google's impact on Prioleau’s journey began in childhood.

“As a kid fascinated by technology, Google was one of the places that sparked my curiosity and inspired me to dive deeper into the world of computer science. From building my first computer to exploring machine learning, Google’s work showed me what was possible with tech and pushed me to pursue my own path,” recalls Prioleau.

Word to the Wise | Troy Kearse

by Anna De Cheke Qualls | Troy Kearse, Social Psychology PhD student, just spent a week at Harvard's Academic and Research Exchange Program. Through a faculty sponsor, eligible late-stage doctoral students or postdocs spend time interacting with Harvard faculty to engage in collaborative discussion for innovative problem solving or to develop new research techniques. Participants can also leverage Harvard’s network of libraries and museum collections, and build relationships with peers and scholars in their field.

Kearse came back from Harvard with more connections, insights and he sat down to share those with the Howard graduate community.

The Sway: Why did you come to Howard?

Troy Kearse: I chose Howard University as the place to launch my graduate education because it is a place where my identity and my work can be valued. Howard also houses incredible scholars who are dedicated to the advancement of people of color and have made significant contributions to the field of psychology. With this in mind, I am honored to be working with so many amazing scholars and peers within the Howard community.

Bison Trailblazers | Roxborough Mih Seh

by Anna De Cheke Qualls | As a triple Howard alum, Dr. Monique Caruth’s journey to starting Caruth Staffing Agency in 2016 was a marathon effort. Her epiphany came from playing and watching sports both here in the United States and her home country of Tobago. “It made me more aware and fascinated by the human body and its capabilities - how it recovers, heals and how to improve performance, leading me to study exercise science and kinesiology,” says Caruth, who hails from the village of Roxborough on the Eastern end of Tobago.

Word to the Wise | Dr. Bryan Ramson

By Imani Cabassa George | Dr. Bryan Ramson is a physicist at Fermilab and a Howard alum. At Fermilab, he studies neutrinos in the long baseline neutrino particle physics experiments, DUNE and NOvA. Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Ramson came to Howard after attending a predominantly white high school.

His experiences at HU were transformative. Ramson realized this was in an environment where he could set aside racial considerations and expectations in his interactions with professors and colleagues. For the first time, he was able to focus fully on his scholarly endeavors.

As we gather for Howard’s 100th Homecoming, I am filled with pride about the ways we’ve given alumni reasons to celebrate the spirit of our institution over the years. I remember my first Howard homecoming. It was nothing like my homecoming experiences at Grambling where, as an undergraduate, I had far more discretionary time. Rather, Homecoming at Howard as a graduate student was a brief respite from pages and pages of reading and, importantly, a reminder that I was a part of a larger community dedicated to making a positive impact in the world. As graduate dean, Homecoming has become a celebration of growth, connection, and the enduring legacy of the graduate studies at the university.

by Dr. Kemet Azubuike | One of my fondest memories from graduate school was being part of a project that not only shaped my academic path but also reinforced my commitment to research with real-world impact. Throughout my graduate journey, I had the privilege of working for dedicated professors who fostered my growth as a researcher. I gained invaluable experience through projects like transcribing interviews for a professor’s book (before tools like Otter.ai existed), conducting interviews in D.C.’s national parks for a National Park Service grant, and being awarded the Just Julian fellowship to conduct a pilot study that later evolved into my dissertation. These experiences built a solid foundation for my research acumen, but it was one project in particular that stands out as the most meaningful.

Madison Wells, PhD Student, Sociology and Criminology | On being chosen for the Health Policy Research Scholars Program, one of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s leadership initiatives.

Arsene Frederic, Jr, PhD student, HELPS | On being selected as a 2024 Bryce Harlow Fellowship recipient. It is awarded to highly motivated students in pursuit of a career in professional advocacy through government relations and lobbying.

Dr. Omari Swinton and the Department of Economics | The Department of Economics received grant renewal from the Sloan Foundation to to strengthen its economics department and bolster its research capacity.

This October is Homecoming's 100th Anniversary?

Marking the 100th anniversary of HBCU Homecomings, the 2024 Howard University Homecoming will be held October 13-20, 2024. The Howard vs. Lincoln University game in 1924 set a trend which sparked a national phenomenon, and since that time, HBCU Homecomings have become an American treasure. With its unique blend of historical homage, affirming engagement, jaw-dropping entertainment, and cultural evolution, the Howard Homecoming experience perpetually draws tens of thousands who revel in the university’s societal and intellectual influence.

The Graduate School's Alumni Networking Breakfast (tickets)

howardgradschoolhomecoming.eventbrite.com (October 19, 2024)

Virtual Employer Forum | November 6, 2024

12:00 - 1:00 PM - Leading the Way in the Cosmetics Industry with alum Dr. Debra Suzanne Payne (on Zoom)

Homecoming | The Graduate School's Alumni Networking Breakfast (tickets)

howardgradschoolhomecoming.eventbrite.com

Grambling State University is yet one more Howard alum richer. Dr. Carlos Chapman ('23 PhD, Medical Sociology/Criminology) just landed a Visiting Professorship in their Department of Sociology and Psychology. Chapman initially started the semester teaching virtually from Georgia (where he grew up) as it was challenging finding housing in the Grambling (Ruston, Louisiana) area. There are a few college campuses here in the area and housing was sparse once the school year began.

"After 10 plus hours of driving this week, I finally made it to the area and my first full week was busy. I spent the week meeting with faculty/staff, getting settled into the department (completing final on-boarding paperwork) and making a plan on how to accomplish assigned tasks/duties for my first year as a visiting professor," says Chapman.

The Sway is Howard University Graduate School's news publication. It serves to celebrate and highlight graduate student, alumni, faculty and staff achievements and updates. It is published regularly during the academic year.

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