Contact us
General inquiries: [email protected]
Wyman Park Building, Suite 350
3100 Wyman Park Drive
Baltimore, MD 21211
Jennifer Wester, PhD (she/her)
Director
Dr. Jennifer Wester (she/her) is the Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity (URSCA), and an Associate Research Scholar in the Department of the History of Art. Appointed in 2023, Dr. Wester oversees the awarding of undergraduate research grants, the convening of the annual Macksey Symposium, and the implementation of the summer research programs for visiting undergraduates. She also leads the Mellon Humanities Collaboratory, serves as the Leadership Alliance Site Coordinator for the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, and is the Secretary of the JHU chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Wester holds a Ph.D. in the History of Art from Johns Hopkins University, and a B.A., summa cum laude, in the History of Art and French from Middlebury College. Prior to joining URSCA, she was Associate Professor of Art History at Notre Dame of Maryland University, where she also served as the director of campus art galleries.
Abdul-Hakeem Imoro, Ed.D. (he/him)
Assistant Director
Dr. Abdul-Hakeem Imoro (he/him) is the Assistant Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity (URSCA). In this role, he mentors both Hopkins undergraduates engaged in independent research projects and the visiting undergraduates who participate in our summer research programs. He also manages operations in the URSCA office, including overseeing budgets and finance and assessing our programs and services. Dr. Imoro holds a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration and Policy from Widener University, an M.S. in Public Policy from Drexel University, and a B.A. in Communication Studies from Kean University. An expert in education policy, data analysis, and advocacy, he has spent many years as a researcher and analyst in a variety of contexts — from higher education to private firms to government agencies — always with a personal commitment to equity and inclusion.
Samanda Robinson, PhD (she/her)
Academic Program Lead
Dr. Samanda Robinson (she/her) is the Academic Program Lead responsible for the Ph.D. Pathway for Advancement in the Humanities and Social Sciences (PATHS). She previously served as the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in URSCA, and has been an instructor in the Humanities Collaboratory since 2019. Dr. Robinson has also taught writing in the Hop-In program for FLI students, and previously worked as the FLI Initiatives Program Coordinator Graduate Assistant in the Center for Student Success. Dr. Robinson holds a Ph.D. in English from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in English from Fisk University, where she was a UNCF/Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow.
Leroy Myers, Ph.D. (he/him)
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow (2024-2025)
Dr. Leroy Myers (he/him) joined the URSCA office in May 2024 as the Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Research Administration and Student Mentorship. In this role, Dr. Myers teaches in the summer Humanities Collaboratory and serves as a research mentor for both visiting students and Johns Hopkins undergraduates. During the academic year, he organizes a series of humanities lectures and symposia in partnership with community colleges, HBCUs, and MSIs in the area, and serves as managing editor of the Macksey Journal. A committed scholar of public history, Dr. Myers holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in History from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in History from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.
Ashley Njagi (she/her)
Administrative Coordinator
Ashley Njagi (she/her) is Administrative Coordinator for the Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity. She provides administrative support for all URSCA programming, including scheduling, event planning, budget reconciliation, travel booking, and more. She brings to URSCA a wealth of administrative experience at Johns Hopkins University, where she has worked in both finance and advancement, and at other institutions and agencies, where she has been an office coordinator, facilitator, receptionist, and aide. Ashley is a native of Bowie, MD, and holds a B.S. in psychology from Towson University.