Rebecca Cole Chapter

Who was Rebecca Cole?

Rebecca Cole was an American physician, organization founder, and social reformer. She became the second African-American woman to become a doctor in the United States and is known for her many achievements in that field. Dr. Cole attended the Institute for Colored Youth where she learned Latin, Greek, and Mathematics. She went on to graduate from the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1867. After her schooling, she interned at the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children. There, Dr. Cole was assigned the task of going into tenements to teach prenatal care and hygiene to women. Cole was a pioneer in providing these impoverished women and children access to medical care. Cole went on to practice in South Carolina, then returned to Philadelphia, and in 1873 opened a Women's Directory Center that provided medical and legal services to destitute women and children. Dr. Rebecca Cole died on August 14, 1922, and her legacy lives on as an inspiration and role model for all women in science.

Who's teaching?

This course is led by two sophomores: Diya Meeniga, from Westwood High School located in Austin, Texas; and Manya Dua from Eastlake High School located in Seattle, Washington. This year, they are teaching Java Programming to students from all over the US.

Diya and Manya joined the WLS foundation in 2020 and are very passionate about all aspects of STEM. They love to share their knowledge with others and prepare their students for the fierce world of coding.