STUDENT STORY

“Coming to college has helped me become a more well-rounded person. After I get my bachelor’s degree at Central Michigan University, I plan to attend a medical school in Michigan. There are so many different programs in the state, each with its own mission, and I’m excited to explore them all.

I chose CMU because of its wealth of opportunities. Undergraduate research is something I knew I wanted to get involved with, and CMU has some great programs. There was a lot of financial aid available as well, and the university makes it very easy to find a financial aid package that will help you succeed.

When I initially came to CMU, I experienced a bit of a culture shock. Finding a mentor really helped me get past some of those initial feelings of doubt. He was able to point me toward resources like academic advisors and professors who could help me find opportunities. Having a mentor push me to do my best was the catalyst to my success in college.

One opportunity my advisor helped me find was Global Brigades of CMU, where I am now the assistant financial officer. With that group, I go on an annual mission trip to Honduras where we practice what we’ve learned in class by putting on a three-day medical/dental clinic. By catering to the specific medical and educational needs of the local residents, we empower them to create better communities.

I’m also the recruitment chair for the Flint Active Crisis Team and Service. We host two service trips per year where we travel to Flint and restore areas that need help. It’s a great way to stay engaged with the community of Flint, especially since they’ve been struggling for so long to get clean water. It feels like we’re really making an impact by interacting with residents and supporting them the best we can.

To me, education is a lot more than just books. My parents immigrated to the United States from Nigeria largely because of education. They wanted to ensure that my siblings and I would have bright futures. A big part of why I’m pursuing a college degree is to honor everything they did to give me the opportunity.”

(Lateef, Biomedical Science, Central Michigan University​)