Fireside Chat with Black Graduate Alumni

Reflections on the History of the BGPSA and the influence of Harlem Renaissance

Since its inception at Cornell University, the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association (BGPSA) has served as a pivotal network addressing the needs and concerns of Graduate and Professional Students of African descent at Cornell University. Historically, BGPSA has also worked closely with Black faculty and staff and is involved in issues that affect the Ithaca and broader Black community. In celebration of the Harlem Renaissance, BGPSA founded the Renaissance Ball at Cornell in 2011. This now collaborative event of the Graduate and Professional Student Diversity Council, celebrates the excellence within the Black and other graduate communities of those from backgrounds historically excluded from academia.

Join us to learn more about the history of the BGPSA from past leaders of the BGPSA whose contributions have had a lasting impact on the greater Cornell graduate community.  

Moderator: Tibra Wheeler, Ph.D. Candidate, Biomedical Engineering

Panelists:

• Chavez Carter, Ph.D. ’16 in Biomedical and Biological Sciences, Director Medical Relations at La Roche-Posay USA
• Cameron Bardliving, Ph.D.  Biomedical Engineering, Director of Product Development and Operations at Jefferson Institute for Bioprocessing
• Enongo A. Lumumba-Kasongo, Ph.D. Science and Technology Studies, Mellon Gateway Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Music at Brown University
• Lory Reveil, Ph.D. ‘ 19 in Microbiology, Director of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at American Frozen Food Institute
• Dexter Thomas, Ph.D.  ’20 in Asian Literature, Religion and Culture, Correspondent at VICE Media