NEWS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 1, 2025 – The Institute for Responsible Citizenship announced the Class of 2026. The 12 scholars were selected from a talented application pool, with students majoring in a variety of subjects and pursuing wide-ranging career aspirations.

The Institute is a highly selective, two-summer program that offers a unique opportunity for some of America’s most talented African American male college students. During the program, scholars live together in a university residence hall and work at high-level internships in their fields of interest. They participate in challenging seminars on economic and constitutional principles and ethics, meet privately with prominent leaders, attend personal and professional development workshops, and enjoy a variety of social activities.

The Institute’s 300+ alumni have demonstrated remarkable success and influence across various sectors. These distinguished men have garnered prestigious accolades, including 5 Rhodes Scholarships, 9 Truman Scholarships, 1 Schwarzman Scholarship, and 14 PhDs, among numerous other honors. Alumni currently serve as CEOs, professors, partners at top-tier law firms, doctors at leading medical institutions, elected officials, and a justice on the New York Supreme Court. Their achievements stand as a testament to the impact of the exposure, training, and support the Institute provides, combined with scholars’ hard work and dedication.

“I created this program 24 years ago to celebrate and mentor talented African American male college students who excel academically, are engaged on campus, and are preparing to make a difference in the world.” said Dr. William A. Keyes IV, President and Founder of the Institute. “Our newest scholars continue that legacy. They will learn a tremendous amount over the next two summers in Washington, and throughout their careers, will impact countless patients, clients, constituents, colleagues, and community members. That impact — which extends to every life they touch personally and professionally — is the power of the Institute.”

Introducing the Institute Class of 2026

Landon Bishop is a sophomore at Yale University, double majoring in Urban Studies and Ethics, Politics, and Economics. As a future urban planner, his interests lie in sustainable urban planning and community-driven design. At Yale, he is the New Haven Engagement Chair on the Yale College Council, serves on the student executive committee of Dwight Hall, and as a staff reporter for the Yale Daily News. Landon is an avid filmmaker interested in documenting Black American experiences. He has presented his documentary work to the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and interned on the PBS documentary My Mom, the Scientist. He is a fellow at the Rachel Carson Council and was selected for the second cohort of BeVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship in 2024. Before college, he founded the first high school-run Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program in Louisiana, which earned over $20,000 for New Orleans taxpayers. He is a recipient of the Coca-Cola and Ron Brown Scholarships. He was valedictorian of the prestigious St. Augustine High School in his hometown, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Bralin Duckett, a Missouri native, is pursuing majors in Political Science and Sociology at Washington University in St. Louis. He spent last summer working with United States District Court Judge Steven D. Grimberg in the Northern District of Georgia, studying the RISE (Reentry through Integrity, Strength & Empowerment) program. His research explored the challenges of reintegration and recidivism through interviews with program participants. On campus, Bralin is a founding member and secretary of WashU’s NAACP chapter, where he advocates for racial equity and community empowerment. He also serves as Speaker of the Congress of the South 40, overseeing student programming for over 4,000 students and fostering collaboration between university administrators and residential communities.

Jason Duodu is on the pre-med track at New York University, where he majors in Biochemistry and minors in Public Health. He serves as a mentor and the Academics Chair for What’s Good Doctor?, a program dedicated to supporting undergraduate minority students pursuing careers in medicine. He also works as a Supplemental Learning Assistant at NYU’s University Learning Center, where he tutors pre-med students and introduces them to metacognitive learning techniques to enhance their active learning strategies. After graduating, Jason plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in emergency medicine. His hometown is Yonkers, New York.

Nifty Haile, a Phoenix, Arizona native, attends Williams College, where he is studying Sociology with a concentration in Global Studies. Nifty was one of twelve students selected to participate in Williams’ highly esteemed Global Scholars Program, where his research lies at the intersection of migration and social cohesion. To advance his Global Scholars research, Nifty spent time in Santiago, Chile, conducting socio-political fieldwork on the recent Venezuelan migration crisis. He engaged with senior researchers at the renowned Centro de Estudios Públicos (CEP), one of Latin America’s most reputable think tanks, and held discussions with Nicolás Torrealba Ibáñez, the Cabinet Chief for the National Migration Service. Next year, Nifty will continue his studies in Political Sociology at Oxford University’s Exeter College through the Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford (WEPO).

Sulaiman Mathew-Wilson majors in Environmental Studies with a minor in Spanish at Howard University, where he maintains a 4.0 GPA. Sulaiman is an environmental justice advocate who aims to combat environmental inequities and implement sustainable solutions to climate change that empower marginalized communities. He holds interests in the crafting and implementation of environmental policy to bridge the gap between community initiatives and systemic change. He is an EESI Future Climate Leaders Scholar and member of the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program at Howard University. He spent last summer completing a capstone project about water quality and community perceptions in West Philadelphia. This spring, Sulaiman is among ten students selected to take Energy and Environmental Justice in South Africa, a course led by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences which includes a study abroad component over spring break. His hometown is Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

Jesse Mullins majors in Ethics, Politics, and Economics at Yale University. He is passionate about direct service, which has led him to serve as the finance director for Urban Improvement Corps — which offers tutoring and college preparatory classes to students throughout the New Haven community — and as treasurer of the NAACP chapter at Yale. He also mentors first-year students on campus as a peer liaison for the Afro-American Cultural Center. After graduation, Jesse intends to pursue a career at the intersection of law and business. Jesse’s hometown is Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Onyinyechukwu Okonkwo, from Yonkers, New York, is pursuing majors in Computer Science and Statistics at Harvard University. He has worked as a course assistant in the statistics department — helping students learn the core tenets of statistics and data science. Growing up playing basketball and enjoying mathematics, he developed an interest in the statistical aspects of the game. At Harvard, he joined the Sports Analytics Collective, where he and fellow students work to manipulate and analyze data in the field of sports. Furthermore, Onyinye is a leader within SoulFood Christian Fellowship, where he serves on the worship team in addition to planning community events for the organization. Onyinye hopes to continue growing in his faith, as well as in his understanding of data science and analytics before working in the analytics department of a business or sports team.

Stephen Robinson is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality, Travel, and Global Tourism Management, with a concentration in Entrepreneurship and a minor in Real Estate Management at New York University. Along with his work on the Undergraduate Student Council, he is passionate about his work with the Academic Achievement Program, where he serves as a student mentor for the World Changers Program, an Event Planning Chair, and was named First-year of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year and Servant Leader of the Year for the 2024-2025 academic year. He also co-hosts a podcast called “Changemakers” on WNYU 89.1 FM. In his free time, he studies culinary arts, aspiring to become a successful restaurateur. Stephen’s hometown is Columbia, Maryland.

Jon Sibley III, a native of Galesburg, Illinois, is a Political Science major at Boston University and a Dean’s List scholar. As part of the first cohort of Sankofa Scholars, a selective research program, he is preparing for graduate studies. He also serves as a research assistant at the Earl Center for Learning and Innovation, where he examines how government policies impact teacher recruitment and retention. Jon interned for Senator Elizabeth Warren last semester, working on constituent services and policy research, and is an SEO career student, gaining industry-specific training in law and compliance. Committed to advocacy and community, he co-founded and serves as president of SoulAAn, BU’s Generational Black American student organization, where he leads initiatives that foster cultural connections and professional development. Jon aspires to pursue a legal career dedicated to supporting underrepresented communities and driving important policy changes.

Spencer Snipe is a student-athlete at Washington University in St. Louis, hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. He is pursuing a major in Political Science with a concentration in American Politics and double minors in Legal Studies and African & African American Studies. He is a John B. Ervin Scholar, Co-President of the Association of Black Students, Vice President of the Alpha Eta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, and a linebacker on the football team. In the summer of 2024, as a Gephardt Institute Goldman Fellow, he interned with the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, conducting expungement case studies in the 21st and 22nd Judicial Circuits. Upon graduation, Spencer plans to attend law school and become an attorney.

Demetrick M. Stringer Jr. was born and raised in Tunica, Mississippi, now pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with an emphasis in Law & Courts on the pre-law track along with a Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Legal Studies at the University of Mississippi. Demetrick serves as the Finance Chair of the UMNAACP and as a First Generational College Student Representative for the Associated Student Body. He is a Provost Scholar and Chancellor’s Scholar and the 2024-2025 recipient of the James H. Meredith Community Transformation Award for his innovative D.R.E.A.M. (Debt Reduction Educational Achievement Method) Initiative, a program that helps high school seniors in the Mississippi Delta secure financial assistance for higher education. Currently, he is interning at the 11th Circuit Court District Attorney’s office.

Frederick Vasquez is a sophomore at New York University, majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Sociology on the pre-med track. Raised in Bergenfield, New Jersey, he is a scholar in the NYU Presidential Honors Program and serves as a mentor and tutor for pre-health students in chemistry and biology, helping to support the next generation of aspiring healthcare professionals. Beyond the classroom, he conducts diabetes research as a research assistant at NYU Langone Health, where his work contributes to the development of diabetes treatments. His dedication to academic achievement and community impact earned him the prestigious NYU Academic Achievement Program Sophomore of the Year Award. Frederick is passionate about addressing healthcare disparities and diversifying medicine. With aspirations of becoming a physician and a professor, he hopes to use his medical career to uplift underserved communities and create a more equitable healthcare system.