Celebrating Black History Month
The legacy of Maryland’s Black engineers traces back to Hiram Whittle D.P.S. (honorary) ’20, a young man from Baltimore who became the first African American to gain admittance to Maryland’s engineering school in 1951, after much personal persistence and assistance from committed partners like the NAACP. The landmark event for Maryland Engineering—and for Maryland’s civil rights movement—ushered in a new era of opportunity. As we celebrate Black History Month 2025, let us remember Hiram’s persistence in the face of great obstacles: that mindset is essential to being a great engineer. We are proud to celebrate the contributions of trailblazing Black students, alums, faculty, and staff whose engineering and educational innovations inspire and improve society. Look for stories from Maryland engineers, including the following, throughout the month: For her capstone project for the Design Cultures & Creativity Living-Learning Program, junior bioengineering major Kelsey Afoakwa wrote and illustrated a children’s book explaining sickle cell disease, combining her passions for art and science while also promoting awareness for much-needed scientific research. Today, she is conducting research in the lab of Assistant Professor Erika Moore, who engineers biomaterial models to target health disparities. With a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, Senior Lecturer Darren Pierre M.A. ’06 (higher education policy and leadership) is an educator and author focused on college student and leadership development. At the Clark School Office of Global Engineering Leadership he oversees the global engineering minor, where he teaches that everyone has the potential to be a leader. Sophomore aerospace engineering major Toni Paylor was inspired by her great-grandmother, Ida Van Smith, an African American pilot and flight instructor who encouraged the involvement of Black children in aviation and aerospace sciences. Now, Paylor is charting her own course, in and out of the classroom, restarting Maryland’s section of the National Council of Negro Women this spring. Bruk Berhane ’03 (electrical engineering), Ph.D. ’16 (minority and urban education), a double Terp alum and an assistant professor of engineering education at Florida International University, previously served as director of undergraduate recruitment at the Clark School. His research and leadership on Engineering for US All (e4usa) and other initiatives have increased access and interest in engineering among students from many different backgrounds, shaping the future of our field. As a way of further acknowledging the contributions of generations of Maryland’s Black engineers, our graphic for Black History Month 2025 presents images through the years. We encourage you to share the graphic—and all the content you will find on our digital platforms—and participate in campus-wide activities. Sincerely, Samuel Graham Dean and Nariman Farvardin Professor
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