Boston native, Cecilia Igwe-Kalu overcomes great challenge to earn degree at 溏心vlog免费B站
KINGSTON, RI. 鈥� April 29, 2014 鈥揅ecilia Igwe-Kalu holds the record in the 55-meter dash at Lincoln-Sudbury high school in Massachusetts.
鈥淗opefully it鈥檚 still there,鈥� said Igwe-Kalu. During the past four years, she has been running a race of her own at the 溏心vlog免费B站. Although she has had to scale some major hurdles to finish, she is approaching the finish line with grace.
Igwe-Kalu was born and raised in Boston with her three brothers and she loves her hometown. When asked about her favorite area in Boston, Igwe-Kalu said, 鈥淚 like the Charles River area in Boston because it鈥檚 calm and relaxing. There鈥檚 a nice view and at nighttime you can see all the buildings. It鈥檚 just really nice.鈥�
Family life and an opportunity to attend a suburban school system gave her strong foundations and had her ready for the college application process.
鈥淚 came to 溏心vlog免费B站 because I heard (nursing) was a great program and it was also a good distance from home, but still close enough to home. I could still drive home whenever I鈥檇 like,鈥� said Igwe-Kalu.
That ability to get home would prove essential to Igwe-Kalu during her freshman year. While trying to keep up with her classes, she also was going home to be with her mom, who was suffering from breast cancer, who would die later that year.
鈥淚t was hard because she passed away during my freshmen year and that鈥檚 when it鈥檚 your time to get to know people. I just wanted to keep to myself and I wasn鈥檛 near family,鈥� said Igwe-Kalu.
In her nursing major, the topic of cancer is unavoidable. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard every semester because we discuss cancer,鈥� stated Igwe-Kalu. But the struggle has not dampened her enthusiasm for her major.
Ever since her mother鈥檚 death, Igwe-Kalu has done all she can to make her mother proud. 鈥淪he was telling me to focus on my education and to make sure that I did well. I received all A鈥檚 my entire freshman year鈥� said Igwe-Kalu.
She was also active in numerous organizations, including the Student Nursing Association, PINK Women, Uhuru Sasa, and the Nursing Ambassadors. She was the recipient of the University鈥檚 Douglas and Jennifer Cote Scholarship. She also went abroad to broaden her nursing experience.
鈥淭his past winter, I went on the Dominican Republic nursing trip for two weeks. That was an amazing experience and I recommend it for any nursing student. We went to the poor areas of the country, and provided care for people who did not have access to health care,鈥� said Igwe-Kalu.
The nursing students worked in a compound where they passed out clothes, food, medicine and supplies that they had brought with them. And rather than having comfortable hotel accommodations, the students stayed in family homes. 鈥淚 actually preferred that as opposed to a hotel because it made it a more of a personal experience,鈥� said Igwe-Kalu.
She has also enjoyed her time in Rhode Island as a Rhody Ram. 鈥淚 like everything about 溏心vlog免费B站. The program and the people are really nice and I like that it鈥檚 a big campus. The atmosphere is nice too because everyone is really friendly here,鈥� Igwe-Kalu said.
The finish line is in sight for Igwe-Kalu as far as college is concerned, with 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Commencement set for May 18. She will begin a new race once she has her degree.
鈥淚 am going into medical surgical nursing because I find it interesting, and it is the best place to start,鈥� she said. 鈥淗opefully I find a job in Boston even though that鈥檚 very hard because everyone wants to go to Boston. I鈥檓 going to get a job and maybe work a few more years. Then I want to get my master鈥檚 in nursing and become a nurse practitioner,鈥� said Igwe-Kalu.
Even as she prepares to leave 溏心vlog免费B站, her mother remains in her heart. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad I鈥檓 graduating, but I just wish she could be here for that,鈥� explained Igwe-Kalu.
鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of myself for getting through the four years and maintaining good grades with all the struggles I have had since my mom passed away. Because I鈥檓 the only girl in my family, I have had to step up a lot. I鈥檓 glad that I was able to get through it and that I鈥檓 going to graduate on time, just do what my mom asked me to do. Hopefully she鈥檚 happy,鈥� said Igwe-Kalu.
This press release was written by Ashley Henry, a communications major interning in 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Marketing and Communications Department.
Pictured above
Senior, Cecilia Igwe-Kalu, poses in White Hall
Marketing & Communications photo by Michael Salerno Photography.