Sinclair Community College Empowering Students through Program Honoring the Late Congressman Louis Stokes

Sinclair Community College is celebrating students who participated in the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program as they prepare to graduate this week. Sinclair is one of 10 higher education institutions involved in the Ohio LSAMP Alliance that assists colleges and universities with significantly increasing underrepresented student recruitment, retention, persistence, and attainment of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees.  Louis Stokes was an attorney, civil rights pioneer, and the first African American congressman to represent Ohio.  He served 15 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This academic year, 30 Sinclair students participated in the program. 

Three Sinclair students are graduating as 2024 LSAMP Scholars:

Abdelqadar Radhwan, Associate Degree – Biology 

Abdelqadar has been a Sinclair student and active member of LSAMP for three years. In addition to demonstrating academic success in the classroom, he completed two undergraduate research internships opportunities, one offered through Sinclair's Physical Sciences: Chemistry Program, mentored by Professor Kim LaSala and Dr. Cari Gigliotti, and the other in the Biological Sciences laboratory of Dr. Thomas Williams at the University of Dayton. Abdelqadar is also one of the founding members of the Sinclair student chapter of the American Chemical Society. Abdelqadar, who is a member of the UD-Sinclair Academy, will be transferring to the University of Dayton in Fall 2024 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences.  

Sophia Guzman, Associate Degree – Chemistry 

Sophia has been a student at Sinclair since Fall 2021 and an active member of LSAMP for two years. In addition to demonstrating academic success in the classroom, she completed an undergraduate research internship opportunity offered through Sinclair's Physical Sciences: Chemistry Program, mentored by Dr. Kelly Ripperger. In Summer 2023, Sophia was also selected for a paid research fellowship at the University of Dayton through the prestigious SURE (Summer Undergraduate Research Experience) program.  Sophia is also one of the founding members of the Sinclair student chapter of the American Chemical Society.  Sophia, who is a member of the UD-Sinclair Academy, will be transferring to the University of Dayton in Fall 2024 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry.

Ryann Crockett, Associate Degree – Computer Science 

Ryann has been a student at Sinclair since Spring 2022 and an active member of LSAMP for two years. In addition to demonstrating academic success in the classroom, she completed an undergraduate research internship opportunity, in the Knowledge and Semantic Technologies Laboratory (KASTLE) of Dr. Cogan Matthew Shimizu at Wright State University, performing research in computer science. Ryann will be transferring to Wright State University in Spring 2025 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.

Sinclair’s LSAMP Scholars were honored during a special end of year celebration on Friday, April 26, 2024, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Eric Charlton, an emotional wellness consultant with Charlton & Charlton & Associates. Dr. Charlton’s presentation focused on "Harnessing Happiness in Your Leadership."

“Sinclair Community College is thrilled to celebrate our LSAMP students and acknowledge their incredible achievements. The LSAMP Program perfectly embodies Sinclair’s mission to find the need and endeavor to meet it by fostering academic and career success in STEM fields and providing invaluable mentorship and guidance. As we honor these students, we are proud to be part of the Ohio LSAMP Alliance, dedicated to empowering underrepresented students in their pursuit of STEM degrees," said Dr. Marita K. Abram, LSAMP Principal Investigator and Associate Professor, Sinclair Community College Department of Biological Sciences

As part of the program, Sinclair Community College also offers the LSAMP Summer Bridge Institute that gives students a hands-on preview of a variety of STEM programs.  For one week during the summer, students meet Sinclair’s STEM faculty, tour classrooms and labs, develop study skills to be successful, receive specialized instruction for college-level courses, and learn time and stress management skills.  The students also participate in immersive, hands-on activities in mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics. Launched in 2013, Sinclair’s LSAMP Summer Bridge Institute is funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation.   

Learn more about the program at:  Sinclair.edu/lsamp.