Oral history of Alexander Kossiakoff

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Alexander Kossiakoff was born on June 26, 1914 in St. Petersburg, Russia. He immigrated to the United States in 1923, and received a BS degree from the California Institute of Technology in 1936 and a PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1938. Kossiakoff worked for the Allegheny Ballistics Laboratory during World War II, and in 1946 joined the staff of the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). He became Director of APL in 1969 and remained in that role until his retirement in 1980. In this interview, Kossiakoff discusses how he came to study and work at Johns Hopkins and some of the major initiatives at APL during his tenure. In this interview, Kossiakoff discusses how he came to study and work at Johns Hopkins and some of the major initiatives at APL during his tenure. This oral history is a part of the Mame Warren oral histories series.

Oral history of E.D.

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"E.D." is a member of the Johns Hopkins University graduating class of 2021. In this interview, she shares the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on her senior year at Johns Hopkins, including what it was like to attend classes online. She describes moving to the United States from Nigeria as a young child and growing up in Maryland. E.D. also shares her family's perception of Johns Hopkins and her college application process, as well as her early interest in music and pursuing a career in the medical profession. In addition to academics, E.D. describes her participation in performing arts organizations on campus, such as the Gospel Choir, and jobs she had while in school. She also shares insight into campus issues, including struggles with financial aid, unequal funding for student organizations, and concerns about the proposed Johns Hopkins Police Force. This oral history is part of the First-generation Students oral histories series.

Oral history of B.D.

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"B.D." is a member of the Johns Hopkins University graduating class of 2021. In this interview, she shares the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on her senior year at Johns Hopkins, specifically the challenges of attending school remotely while living with her parents, siblings, and grandfather. She also describes growing up in Chicago's Vietnamese community, her high school experience, and what it was like transitioning to life in Baltimore. B.D. goes on to describe her academic experience at Hopkins as a neuroscience and archaeology double major, her participation in student organizations, and the importance of prioritizing mental health while in school. Lastly, she shares her post-graduation plan of taking time to work within the community before applying to medical school. This oral history is part of the First-generation Students oral histories series.

Oral history of R.D.

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"R.D." is a member of the Johns Hopkins University graduating class of 2021. In this interview, she discusses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on her college experience, noting particular challenges for her as a transfer student. In this interview, she mentions being born in Cuba and describes her life in Miami with her parents. She talks about her adjustment to Baltimore as a transfer and describes what she did to prepare for the academic rigor of Hopkins. R.D. speaks about exploring potential career paths, supporting her father's business, and the importance of maintaining her family relationships. She also speaks to feeling supported by other first-gen students, a lot of whom were also Hispanic. Lastly, R.D. talks about her future plans upon completing her undergraduate education. This oral history is part of the First-generation Students oral histories series.

Oral history of A.R.

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"A.R." is a member of the Johns Hopkins University graduating class of 2021. In this interview, she explains how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted her college experience, limiting her social interactions and requiring online coursework. In this interview, she describes growing up and living in Queens, in New York City. She shares what her experiences were like moving with her family to Texas and attending school there. She discusses her decision to transfer to Hopkins and move to Baltimore, and the importance of family and community as she made that transition. She speaks about Bangladeshi culture and food, as well as her academic pursuits in the STEM field of engineering. A.R. includes comments about hobbies and groups she connected with while at Hopkins and she mentions her plans for future employment post-graduation. This oral history is part of the First-generation Students oral histories series.

Oral history of James Cross

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Dr. James Cross is an engineer and professor who graduated from Hopkins in 1960 with a degree in electrical engineering. Cross details his experiences as one of the first Black students at Hopkins. He mentions befriending one Black student who was also living on campus at the time, Ernie Bates, and attending a sit-in at a local restaurant with another Black student, Victor Dates. During his undergraduate years, Cross was a member of ROTC, he ran track, and strongly committed to his studies and education as a form of civil rights activism. In the interview, Cross touches on his early life growing up in rural Virginia, his experiences abroad while in the Army, and the various educational and professional paths his life took in his post-Hopkins years. He remains an active member of his community and speaks fondly of his family's endeavors and accomplishments. Dr. Cross was nominated for the Indispensable Role of Blacks at Hopkins Exhibit and has spoken about his life and career at the Fred Scott Brigade Annual Dinner. This oral history is part of the Hopkins Retrospective oral history series.

Oral history of J.M.

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"J.M." is a member of the Johns Hopkins University graduating class of 2019 who majored in environmental engineering and minored in classics. In this interview, they describe growing up in New York City with their parents and academic opportunities they had growing up which prepared them for college. J.M. goes on to talk about their transition to life on campus and in Baltimore, various jobs they've held as a student, and places they've lived. They also share their interest in environmental engineering and friendships they've made with classmates. J.M. advises other students to stay connected to their roots, get involved on campus, and broaden their horizons. This oral history is part of the First-generation Students oral histories series.

Oral history of John Barth

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John Barth, American author, was born in Cambridge, Maryland, May 27, 1930. Barth studied at the Johns Hopkins University and received his B.A. in 1951, his M.A. in 1952. Barth was an associate professor of English, Penn State University, 1953-1965 and professor of English, SUNY, Buffalo, 1965-1973. In 1973, he returned to Hopkins where he was appointed professor of English and creative writing. John Barth is now Professor Emeritus at the University.John Barth is the author of several novels including The Sot-Weed Factor (1960), Giles Goat-Boy (1966), Chimera (1972), Sabbatical: A Romance (1982), The Friday Book (1984), The Tidewater Tales (1987), and The Last Voyage of Somebody the Sailor (1991). In 1972, Barth was the recipient of the National Book Award in fiction for Chimera. In this interview, Barth discusses his years as a student at Johns Hopkins in the 1940s-50s and his return to Hopkins as a faculty member. He describes changes that led to the development of the Writing Seminars and reflects on serving as a mentor to Hopkins undergraduate and graduate students. This oral history is part of the Mame Warren oral histories series.

Oral history of Priscilla Mason

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Priscilla Mason was born in 1913 in Whitinsville, Massachusetts. She completed her undergraduate work at Smith College, where she graduated in 1935. She went on to complete her master's degree at Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Mason went to work for the School of Advanced International Studies in 1943, where she remained for the next 24 years. In this interview, Mason talks about the creation and early days of the School of Advanced International Studies. This oral history is a part of the Mame Warren oral histories series.

Oral history of William C. Richardson

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William C. Richardson was president of Johns Hopkins University and professor of health policy and management from 1990-1995. He holds an MBA and PhD in business from the University of Chicago, where he specialized in health care delivery. He also served as graduate dean at the University of Washington and as provost at Pennsylvania State University before being recruited to Johns Hopkins University. Following his presidency, Richardson became the head of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. In this oral history, Richardson discusses his tenure as president, including the state of the university's finances and departments at the time of his arrival and throughout his time at the institution. He touches on his first impressions of the university and the strategic decisions he made during his tenure as the university's president. The interview took place over two sessions, both of which are available to access. This oral history is a part of the Mame Warren oral histories series.