Boasting a 100 percent graduation rate for the 8th consecutive year, the Ron Brown Scholar Program, the nation’s leading scholarship program for African American youth, congratulated Ron Brown Scholar and Yale University graduate Crystal Paul-Laughinghouse of Denver. Hailing from nine different states, the new alumni graduated from eight colleges and universities, including five from Harvard University, four from Yale University, two from Stanford University and two from Dartmouth University.

Founded in 1996 and named in honor of the first African American Secretary of Commerce, the Ron Brown Scholar Program provides students with the financial resources to attend some of the finest colleges and universities in the country, in addition to promoting outstanding service opportunities for the next generation of promising African American leaders. Of the more than 5,000 applications received annually, no more than 20 high school students are awarded this honor.

“The entire Ron Brown Scholar family is delighted to extend our congratulations to each of our new graduates,” said Michael Mallory, executive director of the Ron Brown Scholar Program. “These 20 college graduates are among the best and the brightest youth who are wholly dedicated to service and leadership. We all send our best wishes as they begin their journeys to becoming our nation’s next generation of leaders.”

Paul-Laughinghouse graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a focus in Behavioral Neuroscience. While at Yale she served in leadership positions for WORD, a performance poetry group, and co-founded Minorities in Medicine Movement, a mentorship program for youth interested in medical careers. She also worked with the Afro-American Cultural Center (AACC) as the editor of campus publications.  For her efforts with these organizations, Crystal was recognized with several awards, including the Black Men’s Union Emerging Trailblazers Award and the AACC Accolades award for leadership. A graduate of Kent Denver School, she plans to attend the Somos Hermanos Immersion Program in Guatemala, and then complete a post-baccalaureate program before attending medical school.

Paul-Laughinghouse and the other new alumni join a tight-knit community of nearly 240 highly-motivated Ron Brown Scholar alumni who work in a myriad of professional fields.

 

Some key highlights of the Ron Brown Scholar Program include:

• 54 percent have graduated from Ivy League universities;
• Two Ron Brown Scholars were elected to be the First Marshals of their Harvard University graduating classes, considered the highest honor bestowed upon an undergraduate;
• One Ron Brown Scholar has been selected as a Truman Scholar and two Ron Brown Scholars have been selected as finalists for the Rhodes Scholarship;
• Ron Brown Scholars dedicate themselves to enriching lives in their local communities and worldwide. For example, nine Ron Brown Scholars have conducted AIDS research and community service with the Institute of Human Virology;
• With a 100 percent graduation rate, Ron Brown Scholars go on to succeed in a variety of leadership positions. From finance executives and top lawyers, to award-winning playwrights and Supreme Court Justice clerks, they have published books and documentaries, appeared as expert guests on radio and television, and been invited as speakers to numerous international conferences.

 

About the Ron Brown Scholar Program

Named for the late Secretary of Commerce and inspired by his dedication to public service, the Ron Brown Scholar Program was established in 1996 to provide academic scholarships, service opportunities and leadership experiences for young African Americans of outstanding promise.  The Program seeks to accelerate their progress into the mainstream of leadership positions in business, education, government and a wide spectrum of professions, while instilling a dedication to leadership and service. For more information about the Ron Brown Scholar Program, visit www.ronbrown.org.