Dreams Come to Fruition for One Future Physician
“An inexplicable feeling of rightness.”
That is how alumna Chioma Ngene ’20 describes the feeling she had the first time she visited Queens University for a scholarship weekend upon receiving The Presidential Scholarship, a prestigious award that covers full tuition for four years. Her subsequent time on campus confirmed that feeling of “rightness” as she capitalized on all of the university’s offerings.
Ngene’s determination, perseverance and hard work has led to another significant achievement. The international scholar has just earned a full-ride scholarship to attend medical school at Wake Forest University.
At the age of 8, Ngene moved to the United States with her family from Nigeria. Growing up, she knew with full certainty that she wanted to become a doctor. Being a first-generation immigrant and a first-generation college student presented various challenges throughout her college search. However, Ngene felt confident that majoring in biochemistry at Queens was the right choice.
“Going to college is all about setting yourself up for where you want to go in life,” she said. “Queens was the best place for me to find the support, encouragement and growth that I needed to capture opportunities that would propel me towards my dreams of becoming a doctor.”
As she takes the next steps towards becoming a physician, she traces the impact that her time as a Royal has had on her personal and professional development. At the core of Ngene’s dreams of becoming a physician is a heart for serving others. She expresses deep gratitude to all of the individuals who have guided her pursuits and shaped her journey so far.
“I met with Dr. Koplas, my pre-Health advisor, my freshman year and she really provided me with the guidance that I needed to slow down and take advantage of every opportunity at Queens,” Ngene explained. “She showed me everything I could do to prepare for med school. From internships to research to volunteer opportunities, I knew what I needed to do to be competitive and I went after it.”
Ngene left no page unturned in her personal development. During all four of her undergraduate years at Queens, she worked at the Vandiver Center for Career Development where she received professional development that laid the foundation for many of her pursuits. She completed research alongside Dr. Zachary White of the Knight School of Communication, interned in the Department of General Surgery at Atrium Health, attended a summer biomedical research program at Michigan State University, and presented her research findings at multiple conferences in her field. In addition, Ngene spent a semester at American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates studying abroad to develop her knowledge of the Arabic language and culture. Chioma Ngene
“I have no doubt that Chioma will do wonderful things at Wake Forest University,” said Dr. Patricia Koplas. “She was a competitive applicant for many reasons and her strong character and drive will continue to take her far in all of her pursuits. I am still in shock and thrilled that she has received this unexpected scholarship.”
Learn more about the Biochemistry program at Queens.