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From Staff Reports

Alexis Powell, a 2021 graduate of Jemison High School and a sophomore at Alabama A & M University, recently completed the six-week Yale Summer Enrichment Medical Academy (YSEMA) in New Haven, Connecticut.  The YSEMA program is sponsored by the Diverse, Inclusion, Community Engagement and Equity department at Yale’s School of Medicine. Alexis was selected from among applications submitted by students from across the country.

The program is free and open to Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are seeking a career in medicine. According to Yale School of Medicine, aside from guiding participants through medical school application processes, the students also participated in a rigorous science course designed to help them prepare for upper-division science courses required for premedical programs.

Powell applied to the program to gain a deeper understanding of the requirements for medical school. Furthermore, she wanted to ensure that she takes advantage of scholarship opportunities that broaden her knowledge as she goes through college. Powell plans to become a doctor in the pediatric field, however, she has not chosen a particular specialization in the field. In her application to YSEMA, she wrote that at the future health professions (HOSA) leadership convention, she had the chance to talk with pediatric physicians one on one. Hearing their stories and what motivated them , prompted her to concentrate on the pediatric field.

Also, Powell was one of 72 scholars selected to receive the TMCF multi-year renewable $10,000 scholarship that also includes a mentor, priority medical job alerts and internships until she completes her undergraduate degree.

Powell is the daughter of Rita Robinson-Shanks and the granddaughter of Geraldine Tyes.