BOSTON – Dr. Joan Reed has helped a diverse group of students find their path in the sciences in the Biomedical Sciences Career Program (BSCP), changing thousands of lives.
life changing ideas
“It’s all about identifying talent, nurturing that talent, and helping that talent achieve whatever they think success is,” Dr. Reed said.
Dr. Reed is a pediatrician who started BSCP 33 years ago after attending a conference that brought together students of color to advance their education.
“During that meeting, a young woman from Roxbury Community College came up to me and said, ‘I didn’t know there were black female doctors. I didn’t know that was possible.’ ”At that moment, I realized, “How can something happen that I don’t even know about?” Dr. Reed said.
BSCP’s job is to create dreams. Dr. Reed founded the nonprofit organization in Boston in 1991. Its aim is to support talented young people who have not had the opportunity to unlock and realize their potential in biomedical and other science-related careers. “I was working in an environment where people were saying, ‘We need more diversity, we need that talent in our field.’ So I thought, ‘We want this talent, we want this talent.’ “It was about how do we rally together with people who are saying,” Dr. Reed said.
Dr. Reed chats with students at BSCP. Students in the Boston area are finding the tools they need to advance into science fields. CBS Boston
Connecting talent and science
BSCP impacts approximately 2,500 students annually. BSCP advocates and mentors from high school students onwards, providing young students with the networks, materials and resources they need to find the career that’s right for them.
Lisa Santiago Milan was born in Puerto Rico. She said BSCP changed her trajectory and she is now pursuing a Ph.D. Attended Harvard University’s Biomedical Sciences Program. “BSCP gave me initial access to Harvard University, which was very out of reach for me, and when I got in through the conference, they In a way, that barrier has been lowered because of the income background,” Milan said.
Thanks to BSCP, 21-year-old Ivy Branscombe has dreams of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. In Uganda, Branscombe had to take a year off from high school due to family circumstances. “BSCP was a hope for me. In fact, without BSCP, I don’t know where I would be right now, because back then…everything was so uncertain. I felt like it could have ended.” There are so many other kids out there who end up lost, just like me,” she said.
Over the past 33 years, more than 16,000 students have been impacted by BSCP and Dr. Reed’s vision. “I grew up in a home where the values were God, family, and purpose. For me, BSCP falls under purpose. I want to make sure that what I do, how I use my talents, and how I live my life is better for others. How do I become a thing?” Dr. Reed said.
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