The First Black Woman to Serve as Student Body President at MIT

Danielle Geathers, who is completing her sophomore year in mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was elected president of the student body. She is the first African American woman to be elected student body president at MIT in its 159-year history. More than 38 percent of the student body participated in the election compared to 14.4 percent a year ago.

“A Black female in that role will squash every perception that MIT is still mostly White and male,” Geathers told the student newspaper. “Minimally, the immediate image of that will make MIT a more welcoming and inclusive place.”

Geathers has chaired the Community and Diversity Committee at the Undergraduate Association Office at MIT. In that role, she has led Talented Ten, a program she created to increase the matriculation rate of Black women to MIT.

Geathers is a 2018 graduate of Miami Country Day School. She was a four-time varsity letter winner in soccer and also earned letters in softball, golf, and volleyball.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs