Inaugural Cohort

A TRIBUTE TO THE INAUGURAL COHORT

Without the nine courageous students who were in the inaugural IAP cohort, there would be no anniversary to celebrate. These first scholars entered into a fledgling program with only one staff member and no peer group to show them the ropes. They proved their resilience as the program and its activities evolved from moment to moment. They quickly learned how much they needed to lean on each other as they balanced home and school life, explored the diversity of the campus, and became acclimated to its unfamiliar culture. All of this was against a backdrop of the highs and lows—or “gripes and grins” as we affectionately call them—of freshman year. There was a fierce tornado that ripped through the campus, claiming the lives of two UMD students. And there was the 9/11 tragedy. Both events sent IAP students rushing back to Baltimore to worried family members. There were lighter moments during the Maryland Leadership Conference, the weekly watch parties of the first season of American Idol, and the late night conversations in Easton Hall. Through all the highs and lows, the scholars in the first cohort of IAP persevered, stayed focused and made steady progress toward earning their degrees.

IAP honors the first nine students for their persistence and achievement; for laying the groundwork for a program— now 20 years old—they likely could not have imagined; and for establishing a tradition of excellence that has become the program’s defining feature. Thank you, Cohort 1, for your invaluable contributions and for making such an indelible mark on the Incentive Awards Program.

EBONY JAMISON BECKLES

Medication Adherence Nurse for the Medication Support Team, Chase Brexton Healthcare

MYRON GOLDSTEIN

Denial Specialist, Johns Hopkins Health System MBA, Strayer University, 2012

REGINALD JONES

Detective, Warrant Apprehension Task Force, Baltimore Police Department Police Instructor Certification

ESSENCE JORDAN

Retired Federal Police Officer, Business Coach & Video Strategist

NICOLE POON-YING

National Manager, Training University, AT&T Mobility

TIANA WYNN

Partner, SB & Company, LLC MBA, Loyola University Maryland, 2015

IMA BASSEY IBIDAPO, ESQ.

Attorney, Full-time Lecturer, Political Science, Morgan State University JD, College of William and Mary School of Law, 2009

YAVONA WILLIAMS PIRALI

Science Teacher, Elmer A. HendersonHopkins School M.A.T., Secondary Science, Towson University

JOSEPH ROBINSON

We’re still seeking recent information about Joseph. We wish him the best!