CAPT Jennifer N. Lind, PharmD, MPH, MBA, The Power of One Promise

Jennifer Lind

As a third generation HBCU grad, CAPT Jennifer N. Lind, PharmD, MPH, MBA, has a rich family history of HBCU attendance. Jennifer’s road to attending an HBCU was paved decades before she ever attended college. And it all started with one promise.

Despite being born in 1895 and unable to get a formal education herself, Jennifer’s maternal Great-Grandmother understood the importance of an education. So much so, that on her death bed, she made her husband promise that he would allow their two young daughters to finish their education…something that was extremely rare for women, particularly African-American women, at the time. That one promise created a lasting legacy for Jennifer’s family and made a significant impact on not only who her Grandmother, Mrs. Rosa T. Beard, became, but also her children and children’s children. In 1942, Jennifer’s Grandmother graduated from the HBCU, Paine College, and later obtained a Master’s Degree from Columbia University in 1951. All four of Mrs. Beard’s children went on to attend HBCUs, including Jennifer’s Mother who graduated from Spelman College.

So, when the opportunity presented itself for Jennifer to attend Florida A & M University (FAMU) on a full Presidential Scholarship, the choice was clear. The very first thing that she did when she arrived on campus was to change her major from Biology Pre-Veterinary Medicine over to Pre-Pharmacy in FAMU’s top rated College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. This was one of the best decisions of her life.

In 2007, Jennifer graduated from FAMU with her Doctor of Pharmacy degree. She later obtained a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Georgia State University and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Emory University. After receiving her MPH, she completed a two-year fellowship as a CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer, becoming the seventh pharmacist, and only the second female pharmacist, to complete the program since its inception in 1951. She now works as the Partnerships & Prevention Lead in CDC’s Medication Safety Program in the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion.

Jennifer’s HBCU experience played a pivotal role in both her personal and professional life. She shares, “I stand on the shoulders of these phenomenal women and so many others, who came before me. I am the embodiment of my ancestors’ wildest dreams and I live each day to honor their legacy and to make them proud.”