Birmingham, AL — The STEM Program is alive and well at Miles College, When Boubini Jones-Wonni graduated from High School in Nigeria, she packed up her bags and headed to Miles College, in Birmingham, Alabama, to enroll in the premed program at the College’s highly esteemed STEM Division. On May 5th, 2018, Boubini earned the distinction of graduating as the valedictorian of her 2018 graduating class. She also received an invitation to study medicine at Howard University Medical School and, thus, she becomes the first Miles’ student beneficiary of the partnership agreement between Miles College and Howard Medical School, in Washington, DC. This collaboration provides the opportunity for top STEM scholars from Miles College to apply to Howard University Medical School.
President Wayne Frederick of Howard University says that “collaboration with other HBCUs allows us to attract the best and brightest to our medical school. These students come from various backgrounds but share a common goal of excellence.”
President George T. French, Jr. of Miles College agrees, stating that “the strong relationship between Miles College and Howard University provides a very attractive incentive for our highly motivated students in the STEM program to aspire to study medicine at Howard University medical school.” President French goes on to say that Miles College has invested millions of dollars to enhance and upgrade the college’s science facilities. Taggart Hall renovations send a clear message that Miles College is putting their students first, as the college builds state of the art laboratories and facilities, Including, biotechnology lab, molecular biology and chemical screening lab, mammalian cell culture lab, 100 seat capacity lecture hall, all new led-lighting, new heating and air conditioning, and expanded research capacity.
“Miles College is aggressive in pursuing intentional and deliberate strategies to strengthen our STEM program”, President French concludes.
Boubini Jones-Wonni knew exactly what she wanted to do after her undergraduate studies. She has always wanted to be a doctor. The collaboration between Miles College and Howard University made Miles College the obvious choice for Boubini after she finished high school at the top of her graduating class. She traveled about eight thousand miles to enroll in the STEM program at Miles College. It is anticipated that this collaboration will help train many Miles College STEM graduates in medicine and in other related STEM fields of study.
It is fitting that Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African-American female astronaut, and one of the best scientific minds in America, was the speaker at the Miles College Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 5. The 303 graduates represented the largest graduating class in Miles College history. A physician, engineer, educator, entrepreneur and former astronaut, Dr. Jemison is currently leading 100 Year Starship, a global initiative seed funded by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) to ensure the capability for interstellarhuman space flight by 2112.
The STEM program at Miles College is alive and well. Collaboration between Howard University Medical School and Miles College is already yielding dividends.
