Saluting Black Scholarship at UIC Engineering
Saluting Black Scholarship at UIC Engineering recognizes students' academic success and contributions to the UIC community and beyond. Through their leadership, these students have demonstrated perseverance and commitment to uplifting and empowering others.
Learn about these stellar students, their campus involvement, proud moments at UIC, and what Black Excellence means to them!
Check out our 2025 Student Spotlights!
Make sure to check out our TikTok feed to learn more about our students!
Simbarashe Chinomona
Simbarashe Chinomona
Computer Science, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Streamwood, Illinois
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
At the end of my first semester I was taking CS 111. I was nervous about taking the final for the class and was worried about my future in the field. For the final project I submitted my project for the class showcase. My project was a quiz game and a car moves across the screen with each question correct using python. I was selected and was exempted from taking the final. I heard from some underclassmen that my project is still used as an example for the project. Now, as a student with three internships and a fourth one on the way, I can say this: just because you look at yourself in a broken mirror doesn’t mean that you yourself are broken. It just means you need to look at yourself in a new light.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
National Society of Black Engineers, Colligate 100
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
I want to live my life with no regrets, I don’t want to reflect back on it and question what I could have done different. This also means the regretting the possible impact that I could of had on others.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
My father inspired me as he showed me by his example what a life long learner truly is.
What are your plans after you graduate?
I would like to use the skills I have and work at a great company. I also want to travel to a different continent.
Ugochukwu Alozie
Ugochukwu Alozie
Computer Engineering, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Illinois
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
I was very proud of getting through my first semester at UIC.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
NSBE, oSTEM, ACM, IEEE
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
My love for learning.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
My sister, Angela.
What are your plans after you graduate?
Not sure yet, looking into a few possibilities at the moment.
Joshua Olusoji
Joshua Olusoji
Chemical Engineering, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Romeoville, Illinois
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
One moment in time where I felt proud of myself was during a research competition my sophomore year. I had completed a research internship the summer prior and I was excited to share my work for the first time in the format of a website. In the end, I gracefully accepted the first place prize and was incredibly proud of the hard work that had brought me to this moment.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), ChemEConnect
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
My biggest motivators are my friends, family, and comrades who have been with me through the journey. With their continuous mental, physical, and moral support, I have propelled myself to work hard and succeed in whatever field I desire.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
Charles Warner Pierce is an individual that inspires me. He was the first African American man to earn a degree in chemical engineering, while also being among the earliest people to receive the degree. He is remembered as a man who underwent heavy discrimination but who constantly pushed forward, making a name for himself and even becoming popular at his institution for his charisma and efforts.
What are your plans after you graduate?
After graduating, I envision myself working in the Research and Development sphere for a couple of years and making as big and broad of an impact as I can. I am passionate about sustainability and green energy and wish to pursue these fields at some point post-graduation.
Coda Richmond
Coda Richmond
Computer Science – Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
Co-founding the WiCyS UIC chapter and watching it grow!
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
I am proud to be a co-founder of our new WiCyS chapter, I’m the Academic Excellence Chair for our outstanding NSBE chapter, and I’m so glad to be a member of SHPE.
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
I can be an incredibly driven person, and I am very disciplined when I put my mind to it, and then I enjoy sharing with newer students the keys to success I’ve discovered!
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
I was excited to meet Aisha Bowe at Grace Hopper last year – she is an impressive young black woman who is an aerospace engineer and formed her own company.
What are your plans after you graduate?
I hope to work in my major, and after a few years of working applying to grad school.
Aaron Tillery
Aaron Tillery
Computer Engineering, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Chicago, Illinois
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
Being sworn in as the new Vice-President of NSBE last academic year!
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel (graduating this Fall), and having a strong support system around me!
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
I don’t just have one individual but a few to name. John Silas Holly, Horace Smith, and my dad! These individuals have helped shaped me into being the man I am today and have continued to push for Black excellence in all areas of their lives!
What are your plans after you graduate?
I plan to work with a company that specializes in creating better data reliability solutions and making Wi-Fi more efficient!
2024 Student Spotlights
Aaron Tillery
Aaron Tillery
Computer Engineering, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Chicago, Illinois
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
When I was awarded the ComEd Scholarship award!
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
National Society of Black Engineers, UIC CHANCE Program
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
One thing that keeps me motivated during the semester is my family and friends! Each individual that I love and trust, helps me to push past the difficulties and challenging times that may occur. With their support, I am the person you see today!
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
My great-great grandfather Bishop John Silas Holly! He was an apostolic pioneer here in the heart of Bronzeville and a leader that many around the world followed!
What are your plans after you graduate?
To work at a high tech company and learn the important skills and techniques to take and share with the youth!
Blossom Egbuonu
Blossom Egbuonu
Computer Science, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Lagos, Nigeria.
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
A proud moment I had at UIC was being a TA for CS113 at UIC which was the first Computer Science class I took at UIC. It marked a full circle from student to mentor, allowing me to share my knowledge and passion for computer science with new students.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
National Society Of Black Engineers, African Student Council, DuSable Scholars Program
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
I am motivated by the belief that education is the most powerful weapon you can own. My drive to represent underrepresented groups in tech and to use my skills for global impact, especially in Africa, fuels my academic success.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
Philip Emeagwali is a significant source of inspiration for me. He is a Nigerian computer scientist who gained global recognition for his work in developing a formula used for supercomputing in the oil reservoir modeling industry.
What are your plans after you graduate?
After graduation, I plan to join a tech company to continue growing my expertise in software engineering and contribute meaningfully to the industry. Academically, I plan on attending graduate school for either a Master’s in Computer Science or an MBA, to further enhance my skills and knowledge.
Giorgia Asamoah
Giorgia Asamoah
Biomedical Engineering, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
From Bolingbrook Illinois, family from Ghana, born in Italy
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
My second semester here as a transfer student, I had a group project that could be on any topic. The people in my group refused to help me or add to the project so I ended up choosing the topic, researching it, performed the modeling, and presented the project basically entirely on my own. My project was titled “Detecting Depression in Brain activity with EEG frequency bands”. I was upset at how the project played out and I was nervous about not getting a good grade. But, to my surprise, everyone in the class was very impressed with my project and its findings and I still get comments today – 2 years later – from classmates who remember that presentation and really enjoyed it. This proved to me my ability to succeed even when the odds are stacked against me.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
Honestly, my parents, as cliche as it sounds but they were the first people to reiterate education to me. They were the first people that encouraged me to excel in my classes and not just pass. Also, I just love learning because education is one of the things no one can take away from you and I am a true believer that knowledge is power.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
Any Black medical professional inspires me. Any Black professional that knows what it feels like to be the only Black person in a class, or knows how it feels to be first generation, or knows how it feels to be doubted. Black professionals that hold positions to let other Black students know it’s possible deserve to be celebrated for Black History Month. Representation means everything.
What are your plans after you graduate?
To find a neural engineering position preferably or any other biomedical engineering positions
Joshua Campbell
Joshua Campbell
Computer Engineering, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Chicago, IL
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
A proud moment I have had at UIC was when fellow students recognize me as a role model in STEM and a leader on campus.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
National Society of Black Engineers, UIC CHANCE Program
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
My motivation is to make my mother proud and to be an example for Black STEM students that they can succeed too.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
I think Ron Guerrier and Virginia Booth-Womack are two people that need to be highlighted for Black History Month. Guerrier for being one of most influential Black tech executives in the world and Booth-Womack for her role as one of the key founding members of NSBE.
What are your plans after you graduate?
I plan to further my education by pursuing a Master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Jeremiah Benjamin
Jeremiah Benjamin
Computer Science, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Chicago, IL
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
Promoting DEI in STEM
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
NSBE
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
Making god/myself/my family/my community proud, in that order.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
Clarence Ellis
What are your plans after you graduate?
Work full time as a software engineer 🙂
Rashaun Muhammad
Rashaun Muhammad
Industrial Engineering with a Minor in Business Administration, Undergraduate Senior
Where are you from?
Chicago, IL
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
Last summer, I had the honor of engaging in undergraduate research alongside my faculty advisor, Dr. Quintin Williams. Dedication and effort were poured into crafting a presentation focusing on musculoskeletal disorders resulting from medical tools used by female surgeons. The culmination was presenting before esteemed UIC faculty and fellow researchers, receiving positive feedback that left me immensely proud of the time invested in the project.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
NSBE, SHPE, IISE
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
The sacrifices and time invested by both myself and my family have fueled not only my academic drive but also my path to success.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad is an individual who I believe should be highlighted this black history month due to his wealth of knowledge and his immense positive impact on black culture.
What are your plans after you graduate?
Upon graduation, my aspiration is to thrive in a supply chain and logistics role, laying the foundation for my ultimate goal—establishing and successfully managing my own engineering consulting firm in the future.
2023 Student Spotlights
Chenille Lawrence
Chenille Lawrence
Computer Science, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Kingston, Jamaica
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
In November 2021, I was interviewed on WGN Chicago and featured in an article written by the Chicago Tribune for National STEM Day. In response to this, one of my professors congratulated me by playing the snippet of my interview during lecture and posting the link to the interview and the article on our class forum. Many of my peers and even staff replied by congratulating me and reposting the article.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
National Society of Black Engineers, UIC CHANCE Program, Women in Computer Science, Break Through Tech Chicago
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
My desire to make my parents and the people that have supported me proud is my main motivator.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
I think Mary Jackson should be highlighted not only as the first Black female engineer at NASA but also for the amazing contribution she made to the fields of computing and engineering and her contribution to helping the US in the Space Race.
What are your plans after you graduate?
After graduating I hope to start my career in Tech as a Software Engineer and later obtain my Master’s degree.
Doriyon Ward
Doriyon Ward
Computer Science, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Chicago, IL
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
Being selected as a Greer Scholar. It means a lot that I was supported from the moment I was accepted into UIC by people who barely even knew me. I’m constantly motivated by peers within the program as well as the mentors that are always offering some sort of academic or emotional support.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Black Student Union, Black History Month Committee
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
My goal is always to be a person that someone else can look up to. I’m always so proud of myself when someone acknowledges that I’ve accomplished alot but also that they would like to follow the same path as me. So whenever I’m down, I remember that there is someone who is looking for me to succeed.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
Wynton Marsalis
What are your plans after you graduate?
Hopefully, to secure a successful job within software engineering while also remaining involved in my community’s wellbeing and continuing to be an inspiration to others.
ML
Mikaela Lindsay
Computer Science, Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Springfield, IL
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
A proud moment I have had at UIC was when I found out I finished my first semester with a 4.0 GPA.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
Break Through Tech Chicago, Women in Computer Science, National Society of Black Engineers, and Honors College
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
My parents keep me motivated to succeed academically. I watched both of them get their undergraduate and graduate degrees all while raising my siblings and I. I want to be able to say I received my undergraduate and graduate degrees just like them.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
Some people who inspire me are Annie J. Easley and Melba Roy Mouton. Both Black women were computer scientists and mathematicians at NASA. These long-forgotten “human computers” are important to highlight for Black History Month because these women walked so that young Black women in computing, like me, could be able to run.
What are your plans after you graduate?
I plan to hopefully study Human-Computer Interaction or another computing discipline at the graduate level.
JA
Joshua Adkins
Materials Engineering, PhD Candidate
Where are you from?
Burlington, NJ
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
Co-instructing pre-engineering summer programs for incoming engineering students!
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
Black Graduate Student Association
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
The knowledge that my training and success will allow me to support the educational growth and development of the next generation of diverse scientists and engineers!
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
My dissertation chair/thesis advisor, Dr. Jeremiah Abiade.
What are your plans after you graduate?
Seek out a faculty position at a minority-serving institution!
LC
Lauren-Charlise Walls
Electrical Engineering and Urban Studies (Minor), Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Little Rock, AR
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
A proud moment I’ve had at UIC was between presenting about Cybersecurity to the college of engineering during my senior year of high school with Girls Who Code and being one of the eight scholars awarded as the second cohort of ComEd scholars.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
NSBE, Collegiate 100, CHANCE Program
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
Prior success in previous internships, along with having a great support system and community at the university.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
Katherine Johnson
What are your plans after you graduate?
I am currently an Electrical Engineering major here at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a minor in Urban Studies, who has recently developed an interest in sustainability within power distribution. Whether it is utilizing renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels, the development of commissioning when it comes to planning of projects, permitting purposes or even vegetation management for reliability reasons. I plan to work with a power company that has the same values and goals I do towards cleaner energy, and resiliency to our communities.
CW
Caleb Williams
Electrical Engineering , Undergraduate Student
Where are you from?
Chicago, IL
Describe a proud moment you have had at UIC
When people recognize me for being a hard worker or having helped them in the past.
What student organizations or groups are you a part of at UIC?
National Society of Black Engineers and UIC Physics Club
What keeps you motivated to succeed academically?
My collection of textbooks and the vast body of knowledge that the UIC Library contains fuels both the childlike and mature curiosity and drive that propels me.
Who inspires you or do you believe is important to highlight for Black History Month?
Daniel Hale Williams is someone that I don’t think many people know about. There is another individual however who is not necessarily a historical individual, but a local person who I think deserves more spotlight. Shermann Thomas is a historian native to Chicago, who has been using his platform to inform everyone about many aspects of the history of Chicago. His Wikipedia page is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shermann_Thomas. I have a lot of respect for his mission.
What are your plans after you graduate?
Graduate school most likely.