Downstate Faculty Leader Jasmin Thomas Receives SUNY Radley Fellowship

By Office of the President | Apr 28, 2026

Downstate continues to elevate scholarship that centers truth, equity, and the voices too often left out of our shared history. Congratulations to Jasmin Thomas, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, associate professor in the Occupational Therapy Program in the School of Health Professions. She was just awarded the 2026 Dr. Virginia Radley SUNY Fellowship for her project, The Black Angels of Seaview Hospital: Women’s Leadership in the Transformation of Healthcare in New York State.

Dr. Thomas received notification of this award from SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., underscoring its significance across the SUNY system.

Named in honor of Dr. Virginia Radley, who served as president of SUNY Fredonia from 1969 to 1974 and was the first woman to lead a SUNY campus, the fellowship recognizes scholarship that advances women’s leadership across New York State.

Women earn the majority of college and doctoral degrees in the United States, yet hold only about one-third of college presidencies and remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles. At Downstate, faculty like Dr. Thomas reflect our commitment to advancing women’s leadership in academic medicine, research, and community care.

Dr. Thomas’s project is driven by a clear purpose to document and elevate the Black nurses who cared for tuberculosis patients at Seaview Hospital in Staten Island, even as others refused. Working under dangerous and segregated conditions, these women not only delivered care but helped advance treatment practices that contributed to controlling the disease. Their contributions to public health in New York State have shaped public health, yet their leadership has remained largely unrecognized.

Dr. Thomas is a licensed occupational therapist and board-certified practitioner who focuses on whole-person care that integrates physical, cognitive, and emotional health, with a commitment to equity in both practice and scholarship.

The Radley Fellowship provides $42,500 to support her research, including course release, travel, and scholarly activity.

Congratulations to Dr. Thomas and the School of Health Professions. Under the leadership of Allen N. Lewis, Jr., PhD, CRC, Dean of the School of Health Professions, and with program leaders including Efekona Nuwere, Ed.D., MPH, OTR/L, Chair of the Occupational Therapy Program, the School continues to foster scholarship that is both rigorous and firmly connected to community impact.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Thomas on this significant achievement.