During her time at Whitman College, Aisha “Adyiam” Kimbrough ’19 explored her developing interest in global studies and politics—and followed that to create her distinctive path. From Walla Walla to Minneapolis to Spain, she brought with her an open mind and willingness to learn globally. Now, as a Development Associate, Program Lead and Public Service Fellow at Johns Hopkins University, she advocates for communities, helping them find their voice.
“At Whitman, I learned how to be a critical thinker, find my voice, and determine how I want to make a difference in the world.”
Aisha’s Pathway
Aug. 2015 | Admitted to Whitman with a scholarship for first-generation students.
2015 | Chief Panhellenic Officer for Kappa Alpha Theta
2015 | Black Student Union
2016 | Co-President of the First Gen/Working Class Club
2016 | Co-President of the First Gen/Working Class Club
2016 | Whitman Institute for Scholastic Enrichment (WISE) Program Leader: Kimbrough had the opportunity to connect with first-generation local middle and high school students, showing them that Whitman is somewhere they can belong.
2016 | Summer Fly-in Leader: A pre-orientation program for enrolled first-generation and/or working-class students to connect them with other Whitties and introduce them to everything Whitman has to offer.
2016 | Social Media Coordinator for the student-run newspaper, The Whitman Wire
2016 | Minnesota Education Equity Partnership Research Intern: With a focus on advancing racial justice and education for Minnesota's students, Kimbrough achieved policy and practice changes to make steps toward a racially just education system.
2016 | Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Party Fellow: Played a major part in recruiting a diverse group of individuals to learn about the tools needed for professional electoral organizing.
2017 | Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity for the Associated Students of Whitman College, the student-run organization where she aided in creating equal and inclusive opportunities for students.
2017 | Co-Founder of Women of Color Voices where she advocated for and created an environment for women of color to feel represented on campus.
2018 | Semester Abroad in Granada, Spain: Kimbrough took classes in Spanish that were geared toward her interests in international relations and policy. While in Spain, she interned at Union Iberoamericana de Municipalistas, a non-profit focused on training and preparing aspiring political leaders.
2018 | Off-Campus Studies Office Intern
2018 | Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship: Held at the University of Minnesota, the fellowship offered support for students from underrepresented groups to pursue graduate studies and careers in public service.
May 2019 | Graduated from Whitman with a B.A. in Politics and Global Studies
2021 | Development Associate and Program Lead Consultant at Youthprise and Minnesota Seeds of Justice, respectively
2023 | Public Service Fellow and Scholar at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in pursuit of an M.A. in International Relations
“My experience at Whitman College indeed has shaped my career trajectory and interests.” Kimbrough recalls what she has learned in her time as an undergraduate, “Whitman's academic rigor has prepared me for graduate studies to further scholarly work in my area of interest.”
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