Bowie State University and the College of Business Celebrate the Philanthropy Fellowship Class of 2026

Six Bowie State University graduate students are launching careers in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership after completing yearlong professional fellowships with leading foundations across the country.

On May 15, a Fellowship Completion Ceremony was held in honor of the six College of Business students. The ceremony recognized their successful completion of full-time, 12-month fellowship appointments in four foundations that are partnered with the Bowie State University Philanthropy Fellowship Program.

The 2026 Philanthropy Fellows include:

• Dion Smith - Tides Network, San Francisco
• Nijah Williams - Tides Network, San Francisco
• Vichan Cooper - Tides Network, San Francisco
• Daniel Jones - Grand Victoria Foundation, Chicago
• Jahlove Shakur - Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore
• Nush Zweh - ABFE: A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities, New York

During the yearlong commitment, each student learned and practiced philanthropy and nonprofit management under the supervision of C-suite executives.

Bowie State University President Aminta H. Breaux, Provost Guy-Alain Amoussou, College of Business Dean Mohamed Djerdjouri, chair of the Department of Management, Marketing & Public Administration, Dr. Wendy M. Edmonds and Dr. James B. Hyman, founder of the BSU Philanthropy Initiative and the Philanthropy Fellowship Program were present to introduce the honorees and commend their accomplishments.

"Prior to the fellowship, these students knew little about philanthropy and could not have envisioned it as a career path," said Dr. Hyman. "Today, we celebrate how much they have grown and look forward to the impact they will make as professionals in the field."

Zweh said all of the participants gained long-term value from their experiences.

"The program strengthened my confidence, expanded my professional network and gave me practical experiences that I will carry throughout my career."

Jones said, "This fellowship significantly expanded my professional understanding and personal vision. I learned that meaningful impact requires more than passion. It requires systems, accountability and measurable outcomes."

Williams also reflected on lessons learned. "My experience deepened my understanding of the capacities and limitations of the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. It taught me that while philanthropy and nonprofit organizations can play an important role in advancing social change, meaningful and sustainable progress requires collaboration across communities, institutions, governments and movements."

The program was founded in 2021. Since then, 23 students have been placed in full-time, paid professional roles in philanthropic and nonprofit organizations nationwide.

"It's one thing to be a student and learn about the world, but it's another thing to see what your role is in the complex array of issues," said Dr. Hyman. "The legacy I hope for with this program is to see what their professional profile looks like 15 years from now in terms of their contributions to public policies and the number of people they've been able to bring along to join them in the nonprofit and philanthropic space."

As the newest graduates of the Philanthropy Fellowship Program, this year's class of fellows leave with professional experience, national networks and a deeper understanding of how philanthropy can drive meaningful change in communities across the country.