See below for the bios of the 2022-2023 Kirchner HBCU Fellows:
Devotha Mwazembe is pursuing a Ph.D. in Integrative Biosciences at Tuskegee University. Her research focuses on crop production, soil science, crop modeling decision tools, climate change, and sustainability. She earned a Master of Science in Environmental Sciences from Tuskegee University and a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy from the Sokoine University of Agriculture.
Taylor Weekes is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance at Howard University. She is currently working as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst at Goldman Sachs in the Financial Institutions Group. Taylor has previously interned at PwC and the Georgia Tech Research Institute.
Ayodeji Akande is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems at Howard University. Ayodeji currently serves as the President of the Howard University Investment Group and Chief of Staff of the Howard University Nigerian Student Organization. He previously worked at PJT Partners as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Strategic Advisory Group.
The Fellows will be “impact venture capitalists” for an academic year, investing real money in a real company, while remaining full-time students at their respective universities. As the program commences, the HBCU Cohort will define its investment mandate with an overarching theme of investing in an early-stage company in the agriculture and food ecosystem.
“Coming from an agricultural family, I understand the importance of investing in food security, particularly in disenfranchised communities,” commented Fellow Taylor Weekes. “Through this fellowship, I hope to gain a greater understanding of the venture capital landscape, while making a direct impact on communities that can benefit from this investment.”
“I wanted to be part of the Kirchner Fellowship for the opportunity to share my skills, knowledge and experience to help drive scientific-based solutions to ensure food security and better livelihoods,” added Fellow Devotha Mwazembe.
“I joined the Kirchner HBCU Fellows program because it will allow me to learn and put my skills into investing in companies that are making a difference in food and agriculture,” commented Fellow Ayodeji Akande. “I look forward to working with the talented group of students and benefiting from the hands-on learning experience.”
The Kirchner Fellowship is made possible through the support of the Kirchner Group, a leading values-based traditional merchant bank, as well as other partners, donor organizations and individual donors.