.png)
PROGRAM
TIMELINE
6 MONTHS
NOVEMBER 2025 -> APRIL 2026
.png)
.png)
.png)
A new initiative for Black/African American college students, focusing on developing leadership in community and kidney health. Starting with a pilot at Xavier University, the program offers significant opportunities for participants to understand and advocate for kidney health, aiming to make a lasting impact on individuals and community awareness.
.png)
The EMBARK Awareness
Student Ambassador Program
2026 Student Ambassadors
![2026 PACE Flyers [IG] (1).png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/88483b_71d470b97b9f46a08c854245f26bee56~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_101,y_237,w_913,h_1113/fill/w_49,h_60,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_avif,quality_auto/2026%20PACE%20Flyers%20%5BIG%5D%20(1).png)
Derek Favorite
Xavier University of Louisiana
Biology, Pre-Med
Junior | Graduation Year: 2027
Los Angeles, California
Helagenet G. Hailu
William & Mary College
Computational Applied Mathematics and Statistics on a Biology Track, Pre-Med
Senior | Graduation Year: 2026
Springfield, Virginia
Justis Hill
Xavier University of Louisiana
Public Health
Sophomore | Graduation Year: 2028
Chicago, Illinois
Hawa Khan
Xavier University of Louisiana
Psychological Science, Pre-Med
Senior | Graduation Year: 2026
Minneapolis, MN
Ruth Solomon
William & Mary College
Public Health
Senior | Graduation Year: 2026
Lorton, Virginia
Sydnie Washington
Xavier University of Louisiana
Biology, Pre-Med
Sophomore | Graduation Year: 2028
Little Rock, Arkansas
Taya Joseph
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, MS2
Narrative Medicine Fellow
Taya Joseph is an aspiring nephrologist and Kenan Urban Scholar at UNC School of Medicine. She was born and raised in Albemarle, North Carolina and comes from both a small southern family and a large family of Grenadian immigrants. Taya found her passion for nephrology during her time as a caretaker for her grandmother from diagnosis to dialysis and eventually hospice and end of life. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar with a bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages with a focus in Hispanic Linguistics and a minor in Spanish for the Health Professions. During her time as an undergraduate, she worked as a research assistant at the UNC Kidney Center and a certified nursing assistant. In 2021, she went on to work as a medical assistant in outpatient nephrology for 2.5 years while also obtaining a master’s degree in physiology at NC State. During this time, Taya continued her research with the UNC Kidney Center on an interdisciplinary team of patients and allied health professionals. She currently serves as president of the Kidney Interest Group, co-lead for the F1rst Generation Fellows program, and co-president of CREATE, an expressive arts club.
Taya Joseph
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, MS2
Narrative Medicine Fellow
Taya Joseph is an aspiring nephrologist and Kenan Urban Scholar at UNC School of Medicine. She was born and raised in Albemarle, North Carolina and comes from both a small southern family and a large family of Grenadian immigrants. Taya found her passion for nephrology during her time as a caretaker for her grandmother from diagnosis to dialysis and eventually hospice and end of life. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar with a bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages with a focus in Hispanic Linguistics and a minor in Spanish for the Health Professions. During her time as an undergraduate, she worked as a research assistant at the UNC Kidney Center and a certified nursing assistant. In 2021, she went on to work as a medical assistant in outpatient nephrology for 2.5 years while also obtaining a master’s degree in physiology at NC State. During this time, Taya continued her research with the UNC Kidney Center on an interdisciplinary team of patients and allied health professionals. She currently serves as president of the Kidney Interest Group, co-lead for the F1rst Generation Fellows program, and co-president of CREATE, an expressive arts club.
Taya Joseph
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, MS2
Narrative Medicine Fellow
Taya Joseph is an aspiring nephrologist and Kenan Urban Scholar at UNC School of Medicine. She was born and raised in Albemarle, North Carolina and comes from both a small southern family and a large family of Grenadian immigrants. Taya found her passion for nephrology during her time as a caretaker for her grandmother from diagnosis to dialysis and eventually hospice and end of life. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar with a bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages with a focus in Hispanic Linguistics and a minor in Spanish for the Health Professions. During her time as an undergraduate, she worked as a research assistant at the UNC Kidney Center and a certified nursing assistant. In 2021, she went on to work as a medical assistant in outpatient nephrology for 2.5 years while also obtaining a master’s degree in physiology at NC State. During this time, Taya continued her research with the UNC Kidney Center on an interdisciplinary team of patients and allied health professionals. She currently serves as president of the Kidney Interest Group, co-lead for the F1rst Generation Fellows program, and co-president of CREATE, an expressive arts club.
Taya Joseph
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, MS2
Narrative Medicine Fellow
Taya Joseph is an aspiring nephrologist and Kenan Urban Scholar at UNC School of Medicine. She was born and raised in Albemarle, North Carolina and comes from both a small southern family and a large family of Grenadian immigrants. Taya found her passion for nephrology during her time as a caretaker for her grandmother from diagnosis to dialysis and eventually hospice and end of life. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar with a bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages with a focus in Hispanic Linguistics and a minor in Spanish for the Health Professions. During her time as an undergraduate, she worked as a research assistant at the UNC Kidney Center and a certified nursing assistant. In 2021, she went on to work as a medical assistant in outpatient nephrology for 2.5 years while also obtaining a master’s degree in physiology at NC State. During this time, Taya continued her research with the UNC Kidney Center on an interdisciplinary team of patients and allied health professionals. She currently serves as president of the Kidney Interest Group, co-lead for the F1rst Generation Fellows program, and co-president of CREATE, an expressive arts club.
Taya Joseph
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, MS2
Narrative Medicine Fellow
Taya Joseph is an aspiring nephrologist and Kenan Urban Scholar at UNC School of Medicine. She was born and raised in Albemarle, North Carolina and comes from both a small southern family and a large family of Grenadian immigrants. Taya found her passion for nephrology during her time as a caretaker for her grandmother from diagnosis to dialysis and eventually hospice and end of life. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar with a bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages with a focus in Hispanic Linguistics and a minor in Spanish for the Health Professions. During her time as an undergraduate, she worked as a research assistant at the UNC Kidney Center and a certified nursing assistant. In 2021, she went on to work as a medical assistant in outpatient nephrology for 2.5 years while also obtaining a master’s degree in physiology at NC State. During this time, Taya continued her research with the UNC Kidney Center on an interdisciplinary team of patients and allied health professionals. She currently serves as president of the Kidney Interest Group, co-lead for the F1rst Generation Fellows program, and co-president of CREATE, an expressive arts club.
Taya Joseph
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, MS2
Narrative Medicine Fellow
Taya Joseph is an aspiring nephrologist and Kenan Urban Scholar at UNC School of Medicine. She was born and raised in Albemarle, North Carolina and comes from both a small southern family and a large family of Grenadian immigrants. Taya found her passion for nephrology during her time as a caretaker for her grandmother from diagnosis to dialysis and eventually hospice and end of life. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar with a bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages with a focus in Hispanic Linguistics and a minor in Spanish for the Health Professions. During her time as an undergraduate, she worked as a research assistant at the UNC Kidney Center and a certified nursing assistant. In 2021, she went on to work as a medical assistant in outpatient nephrology for 2.5 years while also obtaining a master’s degree in physiology at NC State. During this time, Taya continued her research with the UNC Kidney Center on an interdisciplinary team of patients and allied health professionals. She currently serves as president of the Kidney Interest Group, co-lead for the F1rst Generation Fellows program, and co-president of CREATE, an expressive arts club.
.png)
.png)
Taya Joseph
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, MS2
Narrative Medicine Fellow
Taya Joseph is an aspiring nephrologist and Kenan Urban Scholar at UNC School of Medicine. She was born and raised in Albemarle, North Carolina and comes from both a small southern family and a large family of Grenadian immigrants. Taya found her passion for nephrology during her time as a caretaker for her grandmother from diagnosis to dialysis and eventually hospice and end of life. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar with a bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages with a focus in Hispanic Linguistics and a minor in Spanish for the Health Professions. During her time as an undergraduate, she worked as a research assistant at the UNC Kidney Center and a certified nursing assistant. In 2021, she went on to work as a medical assistant in outpatient nephrology for 2.5 years while also obtaining a master’s degree in physiology at NC State. During this time, Taya continued her research with the UNC Kidney Center on an interdisciplinary team of patients and allied health professionals. She currently serves as president of the Kidney Interest Group, co-lead for the F1rst Generation Fellows program, and co-president of CREATE, an expressive arts club.
.png)
Ryson Shelton
LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine, MS2
Education Fellow
Ryson Shelton is a second-year medical student at LSU Health Shreveport with a strong passion for community health, preventive medicine, and public health. Prior to medical school, he served as an EMT with Acadian Ambulance, providing frontline care and disaster response across multiple states as part of the strike team during hurricanes and emergencies. Ryson is a proud graduate of Louisiana Tech University, where he earned dual degrees in Biology and Modern Languages. His undergraduate experience was deeply rooted in service and leadership. He worked with Compassus hospice to offer emotional support to patients in terminal care, served as a research assistant studying autophagy in desmin-related cardiomyopathy, and was a mental health ambassador promoting wellness and access to counseling services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ryson contributed to local public health efforts through routine testing and case surveillance as part of LSU Health Shreveport’s COVID-19 response team. He also played an active role in student life as an orientation leader, student recruiter, and campus programming organizer, creating engaging events for the student body. Ryson’s diverse experiences reflect a commitment to scientific discovery, community engagement, and the restoration of medicine in underserved places and among those who need it most.
TIME COMMITMENT
Students should expect to contribute 40 hours to the project, which includes:
-
Completion of the interactive Student Ambassador Curriculum training (3-4 zoom sessions throughout the academic year).
-
Completion of pre- and post-education knowledge surveys at the start and completion of the year.
-
Live video and photo documentation of campus wide AMKD educational events.
-
Participation in at least one on-campus or local EMBARK Awareness Initiative education and screening event.
-
Coordination of educational programming throughout the month of March (National Kidney Month)
-
Assisting with on-campus advertising for the AMKD Awareness Day event.
-
Participating in the AMKD Awareness Day on-campus educational event.
REQUIREMENTS
01
Current Enrollment Status
Be currently enrolled as a sophomore or junior undergraduate at an accredited College or University.
02
Academic Performance Standards
Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) and be in good academic standing.
03
Degree and Career
Path Intent
Be pursuing a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree with the intent to apply to a scientific graduate or medical school program after graduation.
The Fellowship Program will begin on October 6th, with a two-hour orientation, where Fellows will meet the EMBARK Awareness Executive Team and learn about the history of the organization and priorities for the 2025-2026 school year. Fellows will meet bimonthly on Monday evenings, with exceptions for holidays and other events.
by GlomCon
Have questions about the EMBARK Awareness Student Ambassador Program?
Email us at info@glomcon.org