Katie Washington, a product of Gary, Indiana made history in May 2010 when she was selected as valedictorian for the University of Notre Dame’s commencement ceremonies. She was the first African American to receive this honor. Yet, while this news should have been plastered all over the mainstream news outlets, it was not.
These are the type of stories that have served as the motivation for this series, ‘Young, Gifted & Black’ that the Courier has now published six articles highlighting the accomplishments of African American youth.
Two years ago at the age of 21, Katie Washington’s accheivement was a first for the 168 year-old university.
This gifted and Black graduate of Gary’s West Side High School, according to Michelle J. Nealy in her May 17, 2010 “Diverse Issues in Higher Education” article had no intention of becoming a pioneer at the onset of her undergraduate career.
Nealy adds that in fact, Katie entered Notre Dame questioning her ability “as a product of Gary Public Schools to compete at such a selective institution, despite having been valedictorian of her class at West Side High School in 2006. Her only goal, Katie said, was to do her best.”
Washington further comments that Gary Public Schools get a lot of negative press and that the perception is students from Gary may not do well in the schools where they attend and cannot compete on a statewide level. But in her view “the teachers in Gary did a phenomenal job in preparing her for college.”
And as she opened herself up to people at the university, writes Nealy, “I found that my professors were really willing to help me. They have gone beyond anything that I would have thought to ask for.” Washington continued to share that she found “wonderful professors, great mentors and a strong sense of community at Notre Dame.”
With a major in biological sciences and a minor in Catholic Social Teaching, she maintained a 4.0 grade point average. Carmen Mc- Collum in the ‘nwi.com,’ states that, “Washington had been accepted into five different universities [post undergraduate] that included Harvard. However, her plan would be to pursue a joint M.D./Ph.D. program at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
McCollum notes that the Notre Dame graduate was not sure of what kind of doctor she wanted to become, but said, “she plans to train as a physician with the intention of treating patients with disease.”
Quoting Notre Dame’s Black Alumni chairwoman in the April 9, 2010 McCollum article, Rochelle Valsaint says of the 2010 valedictorian: “With the rigor of her studies, she has succeeded in being both dedicated and ambitious as well as socially adept.”
Katie Washington (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)
While at the Indiana campus, Washington conducted research on lung cancer at the Cold Spring Harbor labs and performed genetic studies in the University’s Eck Institute for Global Health on mosquitoes that carry dengue and yellow fever. She is also a co-author of a research paper with biological sciences professor David Severson.
As noted in an article by Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children’s Defense Fund which appeared in the June 4, 2010 edition of ‘The Huffington Post,’ Williams’ work ethic and passion for medicine were instilled by her parents. Her father, Dr. William Washington is a practicing physician and her mother, Jean Tomlin is a nurse. Her older brother and sister have also chosen medical careers.
Edelman shares: “In an interview, Katie remembered going to her father’s office after school where she would sit and do her homework and later had the chance to accompany him as he visited patients.”
Edelman adds in her account that Williams also gave thanks to teachers and other adult mentors who encouraged her over the years saying that, “I have had so much support from people who really wanted to see that I reached my full potential. They all had my best interest at heart.”
“Katie works so hard,” her mother has reportedly said, “I told her when she went to Notre Dame that you are representing your family, your church and the city of Gary. Make us proud.”
Dr. Severson states that , “there couldn’t be a better person to be the valedictorian. We know that in the future she will do incredible things.”
Quoting West Side High School Principal Judy Dunlap in McCollum, the school administrator said that she was thrilled with Washington’s success: “We are elated to have someone who was the valedictorian of her high school class go on to become the valedictorian of Notre Dame. It is a great honor not only for West Side but also for our city for this young lady to come out of Gary and continue on to Johns Hopkins University.”
Former English teacher Terri Ranson says, “She is a very serious worker, very methodical. She was always in the high-ability programs. She has a great sense of humor. She was on the swim team. She liked speech and theater activities. She’s a very good team player.”
The Gary school district is not only proud of Washington, but additionally of her classmate, Dominique Taylor, who will also graduate from the University of Notre Dame.
“I have known Dominique since we were in second grade at the Banneker Achievement Center. She is a phenomenal young woman herself,” says Washington.
In her historic commencement address, Washington shared with the audience that “I’ve grown a bit weary of moments of accolades and applause because of the unnerving silences that often follow. After the applause is over today, I hope that we embrace the silence as much as we’ve embraced the commencement weekend celebrations. Instead of being afraid, we should cherish the examples set by our often unapplauded heroes – our parents and siblings and professors who have pushed us to do more than we’ve ever dreamed of.”
Source:milwaukeecourieronline.com
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