Meet the Class of 2023!

University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine

My name is Bhavya, and I am a 4th year medical student at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. I will be pursuing a career in the field of internal medicine once I graduate medical school next year and hope to practice humanistic care in communities that need it most. It has been an honor to learn from my patients over the last three years. As I start my career, I take with me countless impactful stories that have fundamentally changed who I am in ways that I am so grateful for. I look forward to joining the Roothbert Fund community and continuing to grow in my spiritual journey alongside peers who are so profoundly thoughtful.

Emory University, School of Public Health

“If you are not a part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem.” That is the guiding principle of Tanisha Armstrong’s life. She is an educator, advocate, and leader who has spent more than 30 years supporting nonprofits, faith communities, businesses, and individuals in moving their missions forward. Tanisha believes in the power of collective purpose and has spent most of her career building multi-disciplinary coalitions. Currently, she is pursuing graduate studies in public health at Emory University, while navigating widowhood, motherhood, and chronic autoimmune disease.

Health advocacy has truly been the difference between life and death for her and those she loves. It is the driving force behind her commitment to impact systemic contributors to health disparities. Her life has made this very personal and leads her to engage as patient, advocate, and professional. Tanisha believes strongly in participatory learning and so, in 2022, she was part of the inaugural University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s PATIENTS Professor’s Academy, which focused on patient-centered research through community engagement. Such experiences are what she pursues to fortify her personal experience with professional development.

A first-generation Caribbean-American, passionate historian, and writer, Tanisha can always be found pursuing opportunities to cultivate compassion and joy both professionally and personally. She relishes in the sound of laughter, the experience of a communal meal, and the beauty of nature. Thankfully, she gets to do these things often while surrounded by her vibrant village, not so little children, and adolescent dog.

University of Maryland, College Park

Through my own immigration journey, I've gained a deep appreciation for the multifaceted spiritual landscape in the U.S. Having worked for seven years in media production, I am now pursuing a PhD in Health Communication. I envision a future where every member of underserved communities is empowered with the information and knowledge necessary to navigate the U.S. healthcare system. My research explores how emerging media technologies, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, can transform health communication practices. By utilizing these technologies, I aim to identify innovative solutions and address the issues that often impede access to healthcare for marginalized groups.

The Roothbert Fund inspires me. There are few organizations that both promote spiritual growth and provide a robust network for professional development. With its support, I would be honored to apply my media expertise and strong research skills to benefit people with complex needs. This is a lifelong work, where I have grown through specific experiences and observations, and have joyfully realized that I can do much more.

Boston College, School of Social Work

Camille Karizamimba (she/her/hers) is pursuing her Master of Social Work at the Boston College School of Social Work, with a concentration in Afrocentric social work practice. Her research interests include homicide survivorship, the impact of systems of oppression on the mental health of Black people, and the role of religion and spirituality in their resistance. She is thrilled to join the Roothbert community of like-minded, spiritually motivated people dedicated to realizing revolutionary change.

The City College of New York

My name is Julie, and I’m pursuing a Ph.D. in chemical engineering at The City College of New York, CUNY. I became interested in the Roothbert Fund due to its uniquely inclusive nature for religion & spirituality in the academic community. Albert & Toni Roothbert's core mission to prevent the reoccurrence of the 20th century's tragedies particularly appealed to me, because the first time I understood inequality was when I learned of my grandparents' suffering throughout WWII. I am incredibly excited to join the Roothbert community and learn more about the uniquely individual perspectives which share a universal goal: to bring world peace.

Columbia University, School of Social Work

Sean studies clinical social work at Columbia University School of Social Work. Columbia is launching a first-of-its-kind psychedelic therapy curriculum, which Sean hopes to access in his second year of study. Psychedelic-assisted therapy has recently been granted “breakthrough therapy” status by the FDA for its efficacy in treating depression and PTSD. However, this innovative and effective treatment modality will likely be cost-prohibitive for most Americans. Sean’s professional goal is to ensure that diverse populations have access to this groundbreaking therapy. While psychedelic-assisted therapy is not a panacea and is not suitable for many people, Sean is interested in exploring how psychedelics can serve as catalysts of spiritual growth and wellbeing for those with and without mental health conditions. Sean is particularly interested in the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy for treating PTSD in veterans.

Columbia University, School of Social Work

My name is Mojisola Odeyinde, and I am a Nigerian second-year graduate student pursuing a Masters of Social Work at the Columbia University in the City of New York. I'm passionate about accessibility and inclusion of persons with disabilities in workplace and in development agenda.

Yale University, School of Public Health

Iyanuoluwa Odole (She/Her) is currently a second-year Master of Public Health student in Epidemiology & Global Health at the Yale School of Public Health. She received her dental surgery degree from the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (COMUI). Her research interests include cancer prevention, cancer control, and improving health outcomes. Outside of research and clinical work, she loves creating beautiful memories through photography.

University of Southern California

As a doctoral student in Comparative Literature at the University of Southern California, my goal is to put humanist critiques of Japan’s dominance over Asia and alliance with the US military in dialogue with diasporic fiction. Through my scholarship, I aim to work alongside a coalition of scholars and activists in advocacy for global demilitarization. As an educator, I hope to provide young people with the terrific level of teaching—and the generous mentorship and kindness that accompanied it—that my professors did for me as an undergraduate. I am honored and excited to join the inspiring and dedicated community of Roothbert Fellows.

Rutgers University, School of Social Work

When I was eight, I met a delightful woman eight decades older than me. I walked past her house every day on my way to and from school. One day, she invited me in for tea and a few Quality Street chocolates. I regaled her with tales of elementary school, and she told me her stories which absolutely fascinated me. Sometime later, she suffered a stroke and moved to a nursing home. I missed our chats but eventually understood that friendship is not limited to people in your school class or Girl Scout troop but can be anyone you share an authentic connection with. Since then, I've been drawn to the seniors in my community, volunteering in nursing homes, and working as a geriatric case manager for over twenty years.

As my children went off to college and started their own lives, I decided to return to school with the intention of finding additional ways to advocate for the oldest and most frail members of our communities. I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to explore questions relating to spirituality and community with other Roothbert fellows, especially within the context of aging and end-of-life issues.

Villanova University

Currently, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Theology and Ethics at the Theology and Religious Department of Villanova University. My research interests include, but are not limited to, peace theology, political theology, and the intersection of colonialism and sexuality/gender issues. My current research aims to critically examine past colonial situations in my home country, Indonesia, where Christian theology was employed to establish moral and spiritual imperialism.

I am thrilled to be a part of the Roothbert fellowship, as it offers an excellent opportunity to engage with like-minded scholars and learn from their critical explorations of spirituality in their respective fields of research or study.

Point Park University

Alexis Werner is earning her Master’s degree in Community Counseling at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Imagine Further Collective which provides preventative mental health workshops for youth ages 6-18.

Yale University, School of Public Health

Ezinwa Osuoha, she/her pronouns.

I am currently pursuing my Master's in Public Health from the Yale School of Public Health. Academically, I have a broad range of interests, including humanitarian assistance, global health, sustainable and international development, to name a few areas. With this broad range, I find so much comfort in communities that foster learning and meaningful engagement with other like- minded individuals. That is why I am happy to be a part of the Roothbert community! I am excited to continue to explore what this community has to offer.

New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education & Human Development

Devin Joyner is a K-12 Track Dance Education MA Student within the School of Steinhardt. She received her Bachelors from Virginia State University where she fell in love with storytelling through the African Diaspora. She was positively impacted by the emotional responses of the audience and began to guide her decisions through this lens after graduation.

After working in private studios in Virginia she relocated to Chicago and began performing and working in the Public School System and Juvenile Detention Centers workshopping the stories of the youth through musical theater and dance. At the invitation to coach youth performers of Black Ensemble Theater, Devin has been privileged to present work on the stage of Black Ensemble Theater, Steppenwolf Theater, and North Park University just to name a few. These experiences allowed her not only to see the impact the shows had on the audience but also the healing and transformative impact on the youth as well as herself.

In 2017, she was awarded by Chicago's City Clerk as an Outstanding Woman in Music and Theater.

She continued on to work with The Chicago Bears Peace Circle Initiative and was inspired to gain her certification in Yoga and Meditation during the peak of COVID to build upon her trauma-informed practices.

Expression and community work are important aspects of the work she creates. Her interests range from anatomy, creative arts therapy and film. She loves to have the chance to merge all of these areas in her work. Finally the most important aspect is the spiritual which she is working on integrating within her program and curriculum development. Her life’s mission is to see youth walking in their true identities and cultivated in leadership by way of worship arts education. She is expectant on the impact the Roothbert community and support will have on this next phase of her journey.

Georgetown University

Jonathan Mendoza is a Jewish and Mexican-American political and community organizer, educator, poet, and musician. He fuses social justice organizing with arts and education to strengthen movements locally and abroad. Jonathan has organized across the US and in Mexico around youth power, housing, policing, democratization, Jewish-Palestinian solidarity, and migrant and economic justice. He is a Berklee College of Music graduate with a BA in Arts for Social Advocacy and minors in Political Science and Poetry. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Democracy and Governance at Georgetown University.

Rochester Institute of Technology

My name is Qadira Moore, and I’m a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology studying Software Development. In the future, I see myself pursuing Data Science and Machine Learning in the financial sector. On my campus, I volunteer at the Spiritual Religious Department, participating in the Interfaith council and the Muslim Student Association. I love learning about different cultures and faiths and building a community amongst my peers. I am passionate about helping people embrace their true selves in a world not always welcoming of spiritual and religious beliefs. As a new Roothbert fellow, I'm excited to join such an enlightened and intellectual community.

Pratt Institute

My name is Noor Romans and I am currently studying to become a game designer at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. I am originally from Los Angeles, and I love doing art, playing music, and running. I became a fellow for the Roothbert fund because of the open minded forums that were provided for me to discuss profound topics, as well as to explore my own core values and spirituality.

Quinnipiac University, Frank H. Netter School of Medicine

Stacy Bawuah, MS is a second-year medical student at the Frank H. Netter School of Medicine. Stacy is a first generation American from New York with roots from Ghana, West Africa. Prior to starting medical school, Stacy participated in national programs such as AmeriCorps and the Obama Foundation Community Leadership Corps. Stacy is passionate about leadership, serving the underserved, teaching. Stacy serves as Class President at her medical school and sits on the Board of Directors for the Student National Medical Association as Region VII Director. Stacy is interesting in pursuing an Internal Medicine and Pediatrics (Med-Peds) residency program. Stacy hopes travel as a Physician to serve in Ghana as well as teach the next generation of physician leaders. During her free time, Stacy loves to travel, read books, and play with her 3-year-old shih-poo Bella.

New York University, Gallatin

I study Suffering (Anthropologically, Philosophically, and through Art History) at NYU Gallatin. My interests vary as they are propelled by curiosity and often align in unexpected yet legible ways. My main propelling interest is applying my learning, efforts and skills into products that alleviate people's material suffering in an effective and impactful manner. Of course this is quite broad and is a question in progress. However, it doesn't quite annul its personal significance as I search for ways to answer this question in action.

The Roothbert Fellowship is an honor to receive, as I feel a sense of communion with individuals who feel the same verve to improve the conditions of the world as we enter a uniquely harrowing period in time. I feel gratitude and solidarity in knowing that despair is not the only option in the face of ecological and political collapse.

Fordham University

My name is Christian Ripke and I am a student, majoring in Social Work, at Fordham University.

I am originally from Shelton CT, but recently made the move to NYC. When I am not in the classroom or at work I love playing tennis, spending time at the beach with my friends, and playing volleyball.

My name's Caleb Huffman (he/they)! I'm a seminarian and chaplain with a background in international relations/politics interested in spiritual care, queer theology, critical empire studies, and the intersections of law and theology. My spirituality is rooted in the Christian faith expressed through the Episcopal tradition. From the psych units of Bellevue Hospital to the Summer Palace (颐和园; Yíhéyuán) in Beijing, I seek to join the rhythm of divine in every aspect of life. I look forward to growing with my fellow cohort!