Sociologist Willie Pearson, Jr. was born on June 29, 1945 in Rusk, Texas. In 1968, Pearson graduated with honors from Wiley College with his B.A. degree in Sociology. Three years later, Pearson earned his M.A. degree in sociology (Presidential Scholarship) from Atlanta University. He received his Ph.D. degree in sociology in 1981 from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Link: http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/willie-pearson-41

Research director and STEM educator Camellia Moses Okpodu was born on January 24, 1964 in Portsmouth, Virginia. Okpodu was the fourth of five children born to Frank Moses, a retired U.S. Navy veteran, and Luerevia Fullwood Moses. She graduated from West Brunswick High School in 1982, and then enrolled at North Carolina State University where she received her B.S....

Cardiovascular physician and medical scientist Dr. Shawna Nesbitt was born on November 10, 1963 in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. Nesbitt attended Quigley Catholic High School in Baden, Pennsylvania where she graduated in 1981. She went on to be the first black student to complete the three year pre-med program at Gannon University and go to Hahnemann School of Medicine in Philadelphia,...

Atmospheric scientist Vernon R. Morris Vernon was born on in . Morris graduated from Morehouse College in 1985 with his B.A. degree in chemistry and mathematics. Following graduation, he enrolled at Georgia Institute of Technology. Morris received the Regent’s Scholarship and the NASA Graduate Student Research Fellowship to pursue his theoretical and experimental studies of...

Geophysicist and professor F. Dale Morgan was born in Guyana in South America. Morgan also grew up in Guyana where he attended St. Stanislaus’ College. He attended St. Joseph’s College and the Polytechnic Institute in Trinidad. In 1970, Morgan earned his B.S. degrees in mathematics and physics from the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago. He then...

Aerospace engineer Leland D. Melvin was born in Lynchburg, Virginia on February 15, 1964 to Deems and Grace Melvin. Upon graduating from Heritage High School in 1982, Melvin was awarded a football scholarship to attend the University of Richmond. He earned his B.A. degree in chemistry from the University of Richmond in 1986, and his M.S. degree in materials...

Nuclear physicist and physics professor Stephen C. McGuire was born on September 17, 1948 in New Orleans, Louisiana. McGuire was the first generation of his family to attend high school and college. McGuire’s parents were supportive of his education and inspired him to high achievements. By the time that McGuire graduated as valedictorian of his class at Joseph S....

Geneticist Patricia A. DeLeon was born on July 13, 1944 in Port Maria, Jamaica. After graduating from the University of the West Indies with her B.Sc. degree in chemistry and zoology in 1967 and her M.Sc. degree in medical genetics in 1969 DeLeon enrolled at the University of Western Ontario and graduated from there in 1972 with her Ph.D....

Allergist and Immunologist, physician and academic administrator Dr. Floyd J. Malveaux was born on January 11, 1940 in Opelousas, Louisiana to Inez Lemelle and Delton Malveaux. His mother was a math and science teacher and both parents supported his interest in science and aspirations for higher education. Malveaux did well in school, placing first in a state-wide math competition...

Education administrator and science education advocate Shirley Malcom was born on September 6, 1946 in Birmingham, Alabama to Lillie Mae and Ben Mahaley. From an early age, she wanted to be a doctor because of her love of biology. At George Washington Carver High School, Malcom was a top student and graduated in 1963. She then attended the University...