Hopkins School is a 7th-12th grade independent day school located in the Westville neighborhood of New Haven. Since 1660, Hopkins School has been committed to educating students who are curious and have a passion for learning. Over Hopkins’ 364 year history, Hopkins has educated many promising students from the surrounding New Haven area who have gone on to very successful careers after graduation.
In honor of Black History month, we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight and celebrate a few of our Black and African-American alumni, beginning with Dr. Edward Bouchet, a graduate of the Hopkins Class of 1870. Dr. Bouchet was a physicist and educator and the first African American to earn a PhD from an American university when he graduated from Yale University in 1876. During his time at Hopkins, Dr. Bouchet was named Valedictorian of the Class of 1870. A mural featuring him can be found in New Haven at the corner of Henry Street and Dixwell Avenue.
Since Dr. Bouchet’s time at Hopkins, there have been many successful Black and African American Hopkins graduates who have left a legacy in their local, national, and international communities. Below, we share the stories of alumni who have recently returned to campus to impart their wisdom and share their perspectives to the current Hopkins community.
Ms. Laina Jones Cox ‘97
Honored as part of the Hopkins Alumni Fellows program–which seeks to enrich the Hopkins learning experience by exposing students to alumni who will inspire, challenge, engage, and educate students by sharing their unique life experiences–Laina Jones Cox has led an impactful career since graduating from Hopkins in 1997.
While at Hopkins, Cox served as President of Students United for Racial Equity (S.U.R.E.) and Dean of Students for Summerbridge, now known as Pathfinder, a summer program committed to helping students in New Haven achieve their educational goals. Upon graduation from Hopkins, Cox attended Spelman College, where she pursued a B.A. in Psychology and Child Development, followed by a Masters of Education at Harvard University. Ms. Cox continued her longstanding commitment to education and was the Founding Principal of the Middle School for Capital City Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. and the founder of The Blueprint Conference for Middle and High School Girls. Ms. Cox is currently the CEO/Head of School at Capital City Public Charter School.
Dr. Candice Norcott ‘97
Dr. Candice Norcott was recently honored as a Hopkins Alumni Fellow for her contributions to the world of psychiatry. On her return to campus, Dr. Norcott spoke with Hopkins students about navigating power dynamics in relationships and identifying healthy and unhealthy elements of friendships and the effects they have on our lives. After graduating from Hopkins, Dr. Norcott earned her B.A in Psychology from Brown University and her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology at UConn. Currently, she serves as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago.
Dr. Steven McDonald ‘04
This past spring, Hopkins welcomed Dr. Steven McDonald from the class of 2004 back to campus as an Alumni Fellow. While studying at Hopkins, Dr. McDonald was a member of the Student Council and an active member for Habitat for Humanity, the Spanish Club, and the Razor staff (the school newspaper). After graduating in 2004, Dr. McDonald earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and medical degree from Columbia University, and now serves as an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and a board-certified Emergency Room Physician. Since completing his residency, he has used his voice and platform to be an advocate for change through his work in the medical field as well as through publishing pieces in the New York Times. Upon his return to campus, Dr. McDonald spoke to the Hopkins community about how he gained “racial and class consciousness” while undergoing residency training and observing the biases and inequality in medicine that people of color face in getting sufficient medical care.
Lt. TJ Bordeaux ‘17
In November 2023, in recognition of Veterans Day, Hopkins welcomed back 2017 graduate, Lt. TJ Bordeaux, who spoke about his experiences at West Point and his commitment to a life of service. Lt. Bordeaux’ interest in pursuing a career in the military began when he was a student at Hopkins, after hearing from now Maryland Governor, Wes Moore, at a Hopkins assembly, also on Veterans Day, about the importance of education as a conduit for making positive change for the problems our world is facing. Lt. Bordeaux took this address to heart and pursued his post-Hopkins degree with an appointment to the United States Military Academy West Point. He now serves as a First Lieutenant officer in the Cyber War Division of the United States Army. While speaking with the community during his return to campus, Lt. Bordeaux shared the importance of finding your “why” in what you do and the importance of knowing that everyone is valuable and has something to contribute to the world.
These are just a few of the stories of our Hopkins graduates, and if you are interested in considering Hopkins School for your child, please visit http://www.hopkins.edu to find out more.