Shepherd E. Solomon Memorial Scholarship

Service is not just about donating at some particular point. Rather, it is about being available and willing to help others when they need it, with a lasting effect. Service is when a person uses their skills and time to make other people's lives easier. Service to the community involved working with food distribution at the Crowder Owens Food Bank. In addition, I found out that although there are struggles, not all of them are visible. There are individuals and families who try hard yet sometimes struggle. The experience of participating in food distribution showed me that serving others brings me joy and humbles me. By helping others, I can remember my blessings, thank God for everything, and remain grateful. Serving is also about giving. As part of the Krisp Ties program, I teach students how to tie a tie. Over time, I came to understand that students need to be taught professionalism. The program involves sharing tips on conducting an interview and on how to behave when meeting someone for the first time. In addition, I advise and guide young men. There is always a demand for advice on professionalism and how to become confident. As a student leader at Morgan State University, I realized how necessary it was to contribute. Although tying a tie may not seem significant, it can help one feel confident entering the space. Confidence is always beneficial since fear prevents one from doing anything useful. Another type of service I offer involves mentoring and leading on the university campus. Being Mr. Harper-Tubman Hall and, currently, Mr. Altus involves more than just wearing those titles. I am responsible for serving as a role model, listening to the students' worries, and helping them. In addition, I serve as the Vice President for Student Affairs, a member of the Student Advisory Council, and a Student Advocacy and Innovation Fellow with the Center for Career Development. I want to help students be ready for the challenges they face after graduation. Giving back to the community is important because I understand how valuable help can be to one person. At times, someone might need support and belief in them rather than having everything fixed for them. Moreover, community service makes people want to help others and thus create better families, campuses, and communities. This is the reason I call myself a servant leader. For me, service creates meaning. Otherwise, success means nothing if it cannot help others. Regardless of whether I can influence others through mentoring, my role as a leader, doing business, etc., I try to make it useful. The most valuable aspect of service to me is the understanding that if I have the opportunity to help another person, I should. This is the meaning of my community service.

From a young age, I learned that knowledge is most meaningful when it uplifts others. In eighth grade, math became more than a subject I excelled in and it became my first tool for change. I watched classmates struggle with equations that I found intuitive. Rather than letting their frustration grow, I stepped in, tutoring during recess, after school, and whenever I could. My teacher, who had recognized my skill early on, was surprised by my ability to break down difficult concepts for others and help unite our class through understanding. This experience planted the seed for my belief that learning should always serve a greater purpose and it marked the beginning of my journey toward medicine. Now, as a high school student and proud member of the Math National Honor Society and HOSA, I continue helping peers with math and healthcare topics. But my passion for using knowledge to serve others has grown far beyond the classroom. At Perry Hall High School, I’m also an active member of our Environmental Club and Greenhouse Committee, where we advocate for sustainability through tree planting, energy-efficient initiatives, and community education. I care deeply about the well-being of all living things - humans, ecosystems, and communities alike. This drive to improve the world around me naturally led me to explore careers in healthcare. My curiosity in medicine began with simple questions: How does the body work? How do doctors know how to treat disease? But over time, it evolved into something deeper: a calling to become a physician who not only treats illness, but listens, understands, and advocates for those often unheard. As a pre-med student, I’ve spent time volunteering at hospitals, exploring healthcare environments, and immersing myself in experiences that reflect both the science and soul of medicine. Every opportunity, whether shadowing physicians or working behind the scenes in pharmacy or lab settings, has confirmed that I belong in this field. My ultimate goal is to become a physician who serves underrepresented communities and uses my knowledge to drive health equity. I want to work in underserved areas where patients often face barriers not just to treatment, but to trust barriers built over decades of systemic inequity. I believe that increasing racial diversity in healthcare is crucial to breaking these barriers. Patients deserve to see themselves reflected in the people caring for them. Representation fosters trust, communication, and dignity. When patients feel seen, they are more likely to seek care, follow medical advice, and ultimately experience better outcomes. As a Black student pursuing medicine, I understand the importance of visibility. I didn’t grow up seeing many doctors who looked like me but I want to be that person for someone else. I want young students from marginalized backgrounds to look at me and realize that they, too, belong in labs, clinics, and operating rooms. I want them to know their knowledge and compassion can change lives. This scholarship would not only support my educational journey, it would fuel my mission. I am diligent, innovative, and compassionate. I believe that medicine is not just a science, but a human service. I carry with me every math problem I’ve solved, every tree I’ve helped plant, and every patient story that has inspired me. And I bring them with me into a future where I will strive for greatness, not for myself alone, but for the communities I hope to serve and empower.