
New Tech for Change Scholarship
Supports PIT Students at Howard University
November, 2024
In its first year, the Tech for Change Scholarship will support nine Howard students committed to using their skills to address real-world tech challenges and make a lasting impact on communities.
In addition to $10,000 in financial support, scholarship recipients will also have the opportunity to apply for a prestigious summer internship with NetApp, a global leader in cloud data services and data management.
2024 Awardees

Jonathan Abeje
Hailing from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Sacramento, Calif., Jonathan is pursuing a Computer Science degree and is on a mission to develop AI solutions that address real-world challenges in underserved communities. His fascination with machine learning, deep learning, and autonomous systems stems from witnessing firsthand how technology can bridge socioeconomic gaps and create opportunities. He serves as Events Coordinator for the Ethiopian Eritrean Student Association, is an active participant in the National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE) and tutors underrepresented students in mathematics.

Morayooluwa Adeyemi(Morayo)
A Karsh STEM Scholar in the sixth cohort, Adeyemi is a junior majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. She is deeply passionate about research and aims to become a professor and own a company specializing in computer vision and computer graphics, focusing on human-computer interaction. Morayo currently serves as the Vice President of the College of Engineering and Architecture Student Council and is the founder of BisonBytes, Howard University’s first coding hackathon. She hopes to conduct research in advancing rendering techniques within computer graphics.

Morayo Akintonde
A Maternal and Child Health Education major, Morayo is pursuing an honors thesis on health equity in Ghana, applying data science techniques to investigate challenges and opportunities for improving maternal health outcomes. She aims to uncover actionable insights to improve health policy in underserved communities, and hopes to create lasting impact for mothers and children in her home country of Nigeria.

Mildness Akomoize
A computer science major passionate about exploring technology that creates real impact, Mildness is conducting research on improving speech recognition for African American Vernacular English (AAVE) speakers and addressing biases that affect today’s technical systems. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, outside of class he pursues gaming and cycling and connects with peers through hackathons.

Siyam Al Shahriar
A computer science student from the busy city of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Siyam wants to become a software engineer who utilizes the latest technology to serve the people and common good. He hopes to work on diverse and test wild ideas with just enough inclination toward traditional methods. Motivated to give back to his community, he provides technical assistance to the Black Press Archives at Howard, the nation’s largest collection of Black publications.

Kiitan Ayandosu
A computer science and math major, Kiitan has a passion for problem-solving and helping people that drives his work building apps, competing in hackathons and learning complex technical skills. As a machine learning intern at Apple, he immersed himself in innovative projects, and he leads the Google Developers Group at Howard, helping peers bring their ideas to life. He hails from Lagos, Nigeria, and enjoys photography, saxophone and cheering for Real Madrid and Chelsea.

Aayush Bashyal
A computer science major from Nepal, Aayush was captivated from a young age by how technology can drive social progress. He organizes community-focused initiatives through a youth club that promotes equitable education and inclusion, and at Howard has worked on projects that apply machine learning to infrastructure monitoring. He hopes to deepen his technical knowledge while amplifying diversity and inclusion within the tech community, contributing to meaningful, lasting impacts in both local and global spheres.

Gloria Dagrin
Hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, Gloria is a computer science and mathematics student with a passion for cybersecurity and software engineering. An active participant in NSBE, the Society of Women Engineers and the HU Florida Club, she hopes to drive positive change in the tech field and make a meaningful impact. Her interests outside of school include dancing, sudoku, roller skating and photography.

Zoey Hall
A computer science and maternal and child health student from St. Louis Missouri, Zoey is a member of the 7th Cohort of the Karsh STEM Scholars Program. She plans to pursue a PhD in biostatistics to become a clinical trialist researching Black maternal health and analyzing large datasets to present to legislators and policymakers. she also plans to own her own birthing center focusing on positive Black birthing experiences.

Jamoya Mondle
A computer engineering major from Saint Andrew, Jamaica, Jamoya is focused on learning how to design innovative solutions that make a meaningful impact. Driven by a desire to continuously grow, she serves as the Howard Community Service Chair for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and she’s actively involved in the Robotics Club and the Society of Women Engineers. Jamoya aims to develop solutions that drive both innovation and success while being a voice for her community in the tech space.

Lauryn Shepard
A native of Washington, D.C., Lauryn has a passion for problem solving that requires both quantitative analysis and creative thinking. She’s an active member of the campus Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, where she serves as a co-community service chair. Outside of academics, Lauryn enjoys tutoring middle school students in math, which has helped her strengthen her communication skills and build confidence in explaining complex concepts.
The Tech for Change Scholarship Grant to Howard University is supported by the Public Interest Technology University Network Fund (PIT-UN), a project of the New Venture Fund. PIT-UN was generously supported by NetApp to launch this scholarship grant, aiming to foster innovation, diversity, and inclusion in the tech space. This initiative empowers students at Howard University to become leaders in public interest technology, driving positive change through tech solutions for the public good.