The Tutoring Formula

Discover Engineers Week
February 22-28, 2026
EWeek was founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers(NSPE)
Check out www.nspe.org for more information

Hazel Johnson-Brown was born in Pennsylvania in 1927. Brown wanted to be a nurse when she was young. She applied to West Chester School of Nursing, but she was denied due to her being black. Brown was accepted to Harlem Hospital School of Nursing in 1947. She graduated from nursing school in 1950. After graduation, Brown worked in the Emergency Room at the Harlem Hospital for three years. In 1953 Brown returned to Pennsylvania to work in Philadelphia Veteran’s Hospital. While working at the veteran’s hospital, Brown became interested in the many nursing opportunities the United States Army offered. In 1955, Brown decided to join the U.S. Army. The Army assigned Brown to an all-female surgical unit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. In 1958, Brown participated in the Army Nurse Corps’ Registered Nurse Student Program that provided financial assistance to nurses who wanted to earn their bachelor’s degrees. Brown enrolled at Villanova University and received her bachelor’s degree in Nursing. After completing her degree, Brown served a tour of duty at Madigan General Hospital and Letterman General Hospital. In 1960, Brown returned to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Brown earned her master’s degree while working at Walter Reed. In 1973, the Army selected Brown to obtain a doctorate at the Catholic University. Brown served several tours between 1963 to 1979. Brown held various leadership roles during those tours. In 1975, Brown became director and assistant dean of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing. In 1978 Brown became the chief nurse of the 121st Evacuation Hospital in Seoul, Korea.

Photo via The Washington Post

In 1933, Louis Wade Sullivan was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Sullivan attended Morehouse College and received a Bachelor's in Pre-medicine Studies in 1954. After Sullivan graduated from Morehouse College, he attended Boston University Medical School. He was the only Black American in his entering class. Sullivan graduated in 1958 from Boston University Medical School, third in his class, earning a Doctorate of Medicine. Sullivan did his residency at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. Sullivan made several discoveries concerning alcohol and blood health while doing his residency. In 1975, Sullivan returned to Georgia to help establish the medical school at Morehouse College. Sullivan became the first President and Dean of the medical school. In 1976, Sullivan founded the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools. Sullivan became one of Medical Education's founders for South African Blacks in 1985. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush appointed Sullivan to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). He was the second African American to serve in this role. Dr. Sullivan returned to Morehouse College School of Medicine to serve as Dean and President from 1993—2002. In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed Sullivan to serve as the chair of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the Commission on HIV and AIDS.

Photo via medicine.weill.cornell.edu

#

Celebrating the vision, resilience, and dedication of our presidents.

Elbert Frank Cox was the first African American to earn a PhD in mathematics, achieving this milestone in 1925 at Cornell University, after he defended his dissertation titled “The polynomial solutions of the difference equation af(x+1) + bf(x) = φ(x).”

Today's math fact via mashupmath.com

Today we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Lurther King!!

Today's math fact via cuemath.