Empowering the Next Generation

Dr. Cherise Hamblin and Karisa Augustine reminisce and share experiences growing up as smart, “sciency” Black girls interested in making a difference. Although growing up in cities on opposite sides of the country, they both remember how impactful support from their families, mentors, and role models shaped their lives. As co-founders of Pipeline Dreams: High School, a medical and healthcare careers exploration program for Lancaster County students, they developed the curriculum from “all the things we wish we knew” as Black students navigating the sciences and exploring various careers in medicine and research. The hybrid program invites high school juniors and seniors to apply and learn about health equity, receive an introduction to research, and meet different doctors that look like them each week online and at three in-person touch points throughout the course. This year Pipeline Dreams accepted over 60 students to join the 2023 cohort, and in just the first three sessions, Pipeline Dreams scholars have already added four potential mentors to their personal network: two OBGYNs, a Pharmaceutical Researcher, and a Dermatologist. With the support of various local hospital systems and Lancaster Workforce Development Board, Pipeline Dreams: High School connects Lancaster Students to nationally heralded doctors, clinicians, and researchers from across the country. Dr. Lyndon Mitnaul, a Senior Director at Regeneron Genetics Center encouraged students during the second week of the program to  “Make your future where you can make a difference”. As a proud product of an HBCU and dedicated to developing the pipeline of clinical researchers from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM, Dr. Mitnaul candidly recounted his journey through academic medicine and pharmaceuticals as a Ph.D. student at State College in the 90s. He set the stage for students to understand racial health disparities and the value of diversity in research. As students prepare their own research projects throughout the rest of the program, students will keep Dr. Mitnaul’s words with them, especially when presenting at our Student Research Expo on March 25th at PA College of Health Science.