Manasa Mahesh ‘27
One of the most impactful opportunities at St. Mark’s is applying for and receiving a grant. The six grants offered by St. Mark’s allow students to broaden their perspectives and take part in experiences that enrich their learning. Students can apply for grants for a variety of purposes. This summer, current sophomore Teni Ogunjumo got to experience a new opportunity at Stanford University as a recipient of the Kean Fellowship Grant. This interview highlights the experience that the grant allowed Teni to participate in.
Can you speak more about the Kean Fellowship? What led you to apply for this specific grant over the others?
The Kean Fellowship’s purpose is to allow students who want to focus on public policy topics that are extremely important through independent research. The fellowship directly aligned with what I hoped to accomplish.
What did you accomplish with the grant?
I studied artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning at Stanford University for two weeks. With this grant, I was able to dive deeply into AI research, specifically in the area of medical imaging.
While at Stanford, I had the opportunity to learn and work with AI and machine learning. My research focused on using AI to analyze brain CT scans. As a result of my work on the AI brain scan project, we demonstrated how AI can accurately distinguish between cancerous and non-cancerous images, which could significantly streamline the diagnostic process.
Why was the research/project important to you and the public? How does this relate to the purpose of the Kean Fellowship Grant?
I wanted to learn more about how using AI technology can help solve current issues and improve medical developments—the project aimed to develop a system that could differentiate between cancerous and non-cancerous brain scans. The project had a potential real-world impact—AI can be a powerful tool in early cancer detection, improving diagnostic accuracy and potentially saving lives. This research advanced my understanding of AI's role in healthcare and opened doors for me. After the project, I was considered for an internship, which is an exciting opportunity to continue working in this field.
What do you want to accomplish using the experience from the grant?
I am creating a STEM class for middle school students. The class will be partially based on the work I did with AI and machine learning during my Stanford research. I hope to inspire young students to explore the world of AI and STEM and to show them how these technologies can be used to solve real-world problems, just as I did with my brain scan project.
Do you have any final thoughts about your experience?
The Kean Fellowship Grant has opened new doors for my future and strengthened my passion for AI and education. I’m excited about what’s next and eager to continue applying what I’ve learned in new ways.