2021-Savanna Toure
Student power and work continue to shape our community and Lafayette’s values. We tend to relate “the Lafayette Ideal” to students who are considered well-rounded because of their active presence throughout the campus and beyond. However, I would disagree. When I think about the impact by student activists, including myself, two things remain similar: unconventionality and unboundedness. From freshman to seniors, I have seen, witnessed, and felt the power of our ability to be revisionists. Lafayette, as an institution, does not shape our campus life; we, the changemakers, can choose to transform our community for the betterment of the future. And that was my choice.
During my time at Lafayette, I was able to appreciate the power of the collective rather than as an individual. It was unconventional for people like myself to reject hierarchy, this has become my greatest strength as a comrade. Furthermore, it was my collective relentlessness rather than a sole leadership that has helped our community deconstruct hierarchical thoughts and practices. These were the ideals that made my organizing efforts, such as Dear Lafayette College Coalition, a living reality. It has even expanded the reach of my racial disparities work beyond the local level.
To define me under Lafayette’s ideals would be a mistake. Lafayette’s ideals are reconstructed by collective folks like myself. It has implanted itself in Easton, the Lehigh Valley, and around the world. Today, my unconventional and unbounded collectiveness continues to impact campus life and culture, as well as influence others to do the same.
Academic Activity/Award 1:
Posse D.C Foundation Full Tuition Scholarship-4-The Posse Foundation Scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition scholarship awarded to student leaders of diverse backgrounds. The Posse model seeks to develop these individuals to be changemakers within their own communities and beyond.
Academic Activity/Award 2:
Honors Thesis-1-I am currently completing an Honors Thesis under Dr. Khadijah A. Mitchell in the Biology Department. My thesis focuses on how menthol cigarette smoking-associated biological changes may be fueling the racial differences seen in lung cancer between African Americans and European Americans. I compare regulatory factors of genes in cell lines from both groups, upon exposure to menthol cigarette smoke. This has been a remarkable experience as I am able to address racial disparities in cancer and provide potential therapeutic intervention.
Academic Activity/Award 3:
Barry Goldwater Foundation Scholar-1-The Goldwater Foundation Scholarship is one of the most prestigious national scholarships given to college sophomores and juniors who excel in natural sciences. Goldwater seeks to identify students who show exceptional promise of becoming this Nation’s next generation of research leaders in their prospective fields. I was a 2020 Goldwater recipient for my lung cancer research and pursuit of an M.D./Ph.D.
Academic Activity/Award 4:
Annual Biomedical Research Conference: Cancer Biology Presenter’s Award-1-The Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) is designed to support undergraduate students’ professional development as future scientists. In 2019, I presented my poster at the conference (Anaheim, CA) and was awarded the cancer biology presenter’s award. I was also a recipient of the ABRCMS travel award.
Academic Activity/Award 5:
Dean’s List-2.5-I have earned Dean’s List for five semesters at Lafayette
Academic Activity/Award 6:
The William Rappolt ’67 and Walter Oechsle ’57 Neuroscience Prize-1-The Neuroscience Prize is awarded to outstanding seniors in Neuroscience based on exceptional merit in the classroom and laboratory, as well as the recipient’s service to the major, college, and community.
Academic Activity/Award 7:
National Conference on Undergraduate Research-1-National Conference for Undergraduate Research supports and promotes undergraduate research and activity in all fields of study through their annual conference. I was awarded to present as a 2021 oral speaker based on my honors thesis work.
Academic Activity/Award 8:
Excel Scholar Program-1-In my sophomore year, I was a recipient of the excel scholarship awards which allowed me to complete a summer research internship with Dr. Khadijah A. Mitchell in the Biology Department. I worked on developing a lung cancer project with the use of biocomputational skills.
Academic Activity/Award 9:
Student Peer Tutor and Supplemental Instructional Leader-1.5-Since my junior year, I worked closely with the Academic HUB center as a supplemental instructor for Biology 101, peer tutor for organic chemistry I, and a mentored study group peer tutor for Organic Chemistry II. I have worked with over 40 students, curating lesson plans and providing resources to help them through their science courses.
Academic Activity/Award 10:
UCSD MSTP Undergraduate Research Fellowship-1-The UCSD MSTP SURF program recruits motivated undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds in health sciences. These are scholars who are interested in seeking future training in a combined MD/Ph.D. program or an academically oriented career in medicine. I was a 2020 scholar and conducted research on biological racial differences in triple-negative breast cancer with Dr. Adam Engler at UCSD Medical School.
Campus Service Activity /Award 1:
Resident Advisor-2.5-I have served as a resident advisor since my sophomore year and have curated several program events that promote the academic, social/cultural, life skills, and community building components within campus life. I have worked with upperclassmen and helped to maintain community care within our halls. I have tried to make residents feel comfortable, at peace, and welcomed in our halls and on campus.
Campus Service Activity /Award 2:
Migration Awareness Week-0.5-Migration Awareness Week has a series of events filled with workshops pertaining to the topics of migration, advocacy, and supporting communities who are being affected by these issues. I am helping to plan this event as a liaison to Lafayette Mutual Aid and Dear Lafayette College. The purpose of the Migration Summit is to not only raise awareness about the issues refugees and undocumented immigrants face but also educate our audience on how they can become more involved.
Campus Service Activity /Award 3:
Kaleidoscope-2-Kaleidoscope is a social activist group on campus, which I am a part of, that leads workshops on a variety of topics involving the Big 8 (race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, ability, religion, and socioeconomic status). I have worked with faculty members to further understand their impact on marginalized students’ learning and development.
Campus Service Activity /Award 4:
Pards Against Sexual Assault (PASA)-1-As a PASA educational leader, I was tasked to educate the Lafayette community on gender violence and sexual assault awareness through programming. I helped to facilitate workshops with athletic teams on consent and Title IX. I also helped with our 2019 event: Denim Day, which featured students’ experiences with sexual violence and was displayed in Farinon.
Campus Service Activity /Award 5:
Cocoa Talks-1-Cocoa Talks, under LEADERS, is a group for Black trans folk and women in STEM that Naomi Ganpo and I. Cocoa talks feature talks from Black alumni and social group bonding events to provide members with a support network on and off-campus. We seek to amplify the personal and professional network for Black trans folk and women in STEM.
Campus Service Activity /Award 6:
Gateway Career Services Externship Program-0.5-As an externship scholar, I was a clinical volunteer under Dr. Edward Platia at the Washington Medical Health Center.
Campus Service Activity /Award 7:
Sustainability: Multicultural Competency Training-0.5-I am helping to design the framework of multicultural competency training provided by the Sustainability office. This will feature facilitated discussion on environmental racism and social inequities.
Community Service 1:
Alternative School Break: Lakota Land 2019-1-As an ASB student leader, I was welcomed to the Lakota Nation which is home to one of the most marginalized and disadvantaged groups in the U.S. Indigenous folks experience high housing and food violence, as well as mental health issues. The goal of our ASB trip was to learn, understand, and address the violence folks face on the Pine Ridge reservation, South Dakota. While there, we work to stop flooding in the area, deliver food to community members, and offer any labor assistance where needed.
Community Service 2:
YMCA SACC Volunteer-1-As a YMCA SACC (School‐Aged Child Care) volunteer, I helped elementary students with homework and engaged in other social activities at the YMCA center.
Community Service 3:
SHAWCO International Health Volunteer-0.5-As a SHAWCO International health volunteer, I went to underserved communities and provided clinical assistant care in a mobile unit to folks. I performed HIV and blood glucose tests on patients and translated the results of said-test covering topics of treatment and sexual wellness.
Community Service 4:
St. Luke’s Emergency Department Volunteer-1.5-As a St. Luke’s Emergency Department volunteer, I interacted with patients across the Lehigh Valley and aided in clinical care under nurse supervision. I spent hours talking to patients and their family members and I was able to learn how the hierarchy works in healthcare.
Community Service 5:
Edumate Student Tutor-0.5-English and writing tutor for elementary school students. I developed a curriculum, weekly lesson plans, and presentations that covered poetry, idioms, sentence structure, clauses, and story writing. I helped formulate students’ understanding within their difficult subjects by utilizing media content and activities.
Special Interest Activity/Award 1:
Dear Lafayette College Coalition-1-I helped create and develop a non-hierarchal Black student-led power coalition dedicated to the eradication of systemic racism and institutional oppression. We have advocated for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities to have more financial, emotional, and mental support from Lafayette College. We have curated a list of demands presented to decision-makers on achieving racial, social, and educational equity on campus. We have facilitated town halls and Instagram lives on topics pertaining to transformative justice, solidarity, and transparency. We have formulated a PA student power coalition with groups from Lehigh University, Moravian College, Moore’s College, Kutztown, etc.
Special Interest Activity/Award 2:
Lafayette Mutual Aid-1-I helped create a student-run mutual aid effort for Black and Indigenous people of color (BIPOC) community members in the Lehigh Valley. We have raised over $8,000 dollars and redistributed over $6,600 to BIPOC folks for rent, transportation, groceries, medical, etc. We have advocated for more BIPOC student-focused financial, emotional, and mental support from alumni. Furthermore, we have provided educational materials and resources through our social media platforms centered on mutual aid, racial capitalism, and community solidarity.
Special Interest Activity/Award 3:
Freedom Fighters’ DC-0.5-I was one of the founders of Freedom Fighters DC, a Black liberation collective in DC. We organized to address issues of the carceral state from police violence to ICE. I helped to organize several marches and protest events and collaborated with grassroots groups such as the Party for Socialism, Until Freedom, Palm Collective, and more.
Special Interest Activity/Award 4:
Black LGBTQ+ Youth Mutual Aid Fund-0.5-Black LGBTQ+ Youth Mutual Aid Fund was established to give grants to Black Queer Youth primarily in DC. Over $20,000 was redistributed to Black sibs for anything they want and/or need. I helped collaborate on the development of redistribution and transparency. I facilitated workshops with my colleagues on the history of mutual aid, where do we go from here, and how does one practice it.
Special Interest Activity/Award 5:
Freedom Fighters’ DC Mutual Aid Network-0.5-I founded the Freedom Fighters DC mutual aid coalition to address housing, food, water, and transportation insecurities for Black residents in DC. I helped redistribute $30,000+ in funds and resources to Black folks in the DC area. I worked closely with single mothers experiencing domestic situations, in order to secure housing. I helped fundraise for community events and food and hygiene product giveaways in Ward 4, 5, and 7. I delivered workshops to community members and youths (Children’s Defense Fund, Advocates for Youth, Coolidge HS, etc.) on accountability, transformative justice, and community support.
Special Interest Activity/Award 6:
Harry S. Truman Foundation Scholar-1-The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is one of the most nationally recognized awards given to young student leaders who are exceptional on their campus and beyond. These are leaders who are devoted to a life of public service.