The reason I chose pharmacy as a major is that I want to deliver groundbreaking medicine for people battling cancer, ALS, and other diseases. I also want to contribute to medical technology and revolutionize medicine manufacturing. As an undergraduate student at Rutgers-New Brunswick, I have started my journey into making my dreams possible. I was born in a hospital in Far Rockaway as an African American male with Nigerian heritage. I was not quite the average kid in school. In early schooling, I always embarrassed myself with food all over my face while others ate neatly. I had a speech delay, but I overcame it by communicating with classmates and teachers at school. This increased my confidence in speaking. After attending multiple schools in Far Rockaway, I visited Nigeria and attended schools there for over a year. Then, I returned to New York and learned in elementary school in Nassau County. Once I joined the school district of my elementary school, I stayed in the district until the end of high school. In high school, I decided I was going to major in pharmacy. Rutgers-New Brunswick is one of the few pathways to a doctorate in pharmacy. Being in pharmacy means that I will build experience in clinical settings and practice to prescribe medications. In the Pharmacy Governing Council, I will connect with fellow pharmacists and join a community that improves research on infectious and non-infectious diseases. The rigorous pharmacy program lays a foundation for the pharmaceutical company I will create. This company will do medical discoveries and improve healthcare worldwide. I am interested in joining clubs such as the marching band and quiz bowl. I loved playing the alto saxophone for eight years, so being in the marching band allows me to spread my passion for making music and raise the university’s spirit. I participated in regional science bowls and loved studying outside of school for these competitions. In Quiz Bowl, I will work even harder to help Rutgers win a national quiz bowl championship. When I was in high school, my mother faced financial burdens by taking care of medical, educational, and other necessary bills for my two younger brothers. One of my younger brothers back in Nigeria is struggling hard to survive due to a developmental disability. During this time, my other brother had difficulty walking and also had a speech delay. My mother faces even more financial responsibility for paying for expensive tuition to fund my education. Because of this, my mother stresses about paying for her son’s college and the health of all her children. This motivates me even more to achieve my dream of becoming a pharmacist and making my family proud. The Bright Lights Scholarship will help me prioritize focusing on my studies in pharmacy and brighten my mother’s life. It will help me continue my education at Rutgers-New Brunswick. Rutgers-New Brunswick is the best college for me to achieve my dreams. This scholarship inspires me to create a foundation that lights the future for us all.

I was born in an area that is 41% African American: Far Rockaway, Queens. However, I am pursuing pharmacy. 6-9% of pharmacists are African Americans. I am of Nigerian heritage, which takes the percentage down further. I believe that my life and pharmacy career will not only inspire the most aspiring, but also those who feel underrepresented and devalued.  I am a young man who was not the average kid. I’d embarrass myself in the classroom with food all over my mouth, while my classmates would not let a speck of cake appear on their faces. I had a speech delay. However, I overcame it by increasing my confidence in speaking with classmates and teachers in school. After constantly changing schools in Far Rockaway and visiting Nigeria, I attended elementary school in Nassau County. Not only did I meet new people frequently, but I also had to change environments and ways of living. Once I joined the school district of my elementary school, I stayed in the district until the end of high school.  From elementary school through high school, I was a teenager with many interests. In 3rd grade, I developed an interest in solving multiplication and division problems. Initially, I struggled with it; however, with more time and listening to catchy multiplication songs, these problems gave me hope because it was one of my few academic strengths. In 9th grade, I placed third in my high school’s pi memorization challenge in my grade. I won first place in my grade from sophomore to senior year for a pi memorization challenge at my school. I loved music because it made me feel a lot of emotions and led me to realize my capabilities. I have played the saxophone since I was in 4th grade and have loved it ever since. I played in concerts, marching band parades, and school events while having a fantastic time with fellow band members. I made valuable friendships and memories with clarinetists, flutists, and other musicians. Listening to John Coltrane and other instrumentalists inspired me to play high notes that I thought I would not be able to blow out. I joined the chorus in high school and had a great time with fellow singers in concerts and school plays. Listening to gospel songs like “Because He Lives, Amen” helped me to focus on my spirituality and always made me whole. Listening to pop songs like Toto’s “Africa” not only inspired me, but also made me appreciate my heritage and where my family came from.  In high school, my hardworking mother faced financial burdens by taking care of medical, educational, and other necessary bills for my younger brother in Nigeria to survive and grow. During this time, my other younger brother was having difficulty walking and also had a speech delay. Sometimes, my mother would feel sad and even cry about it. This has motivated me even more to make my family proud. To this day, my mother still faces significant stress and responsibility for all her children. I plan to create a pharmaceutical company that does innovative research on diseases such as HIV, ALS, and cancer. I am also motivated to improve the lives of people with medical conditions, like my two younger brothers. The Sloane Stephens Doc and Glow Scholarship will make my mother smile more frequently and encourage me to work harder for a future bigger than us.

There is no question that math is everywhere, but what is its true meaning? Well, the answer is quite complex. This is what math means to me. Math is the application of numerical reasoning and conceptual topics in our development as the human race. Math is a feeling. Reading many short excerpts for a state test was a puzzle for me to piece together, but doing short multiplication problems with ease in the classroom brought me hope and relief. Not only did correctly solving challenging indefinite integrals feel like a treat ready to be relished after a long workday, but it also made me envision myself smiling and spending time outside together with my friends and family. Math is that fire that emanates desire and determination for unimaginative growth. I decided to enter a pi memorization challenge in 9th grade. I practiced over the weekend for Pi Day, when the memorization challenge was. I eventually placed 3rd place in my grade. Since then, that burning passion for numbers has increased in me. That day, my goal was to achieve 1st in the memorization challenge for the following years in my grade. Although getting first place in the remaining three years in high school and breaking a school record with 703 digits of pi was cool, the digits of pi were a library in my mind ready to be articulated proudly to the outside world. These digits of pi were a home in me. My interest in science derived from my love of math. The mathematical concepts of algebra, systems of equations, titration with volume, and elements fascinated me the most. This interest in science led me to pursue a major in pharmacy. My career goal is to create a pharmaceutical company that conducts research into many types of non-infectious and infectious diseases and improves healthcare worldwide. I believe that my love for math will give me hope to achieve that goal for a brighter future and a healthier world to live in.

If I had to write an autobiography about my life, I would separate it into seven chapters: early years, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, adult years, and retirement. Right now, I am in the fifth chapter of my life. College is not just about starting something new, but also a time to introduce myself to the world. It is about remembering where we come from and what we are born to do. I came to this world by being born in a hospital in Far Rockaway as an African American male with Nigerian heritage. I have three siblings: two younger brothers and one younger sister. I was not quite the average kid in school. In early schooling, I always embarrassed myself with food all over my face while others ate neatly. I even had a speech delay, but I overcame it by communicating more with teachers, friends, and family while attending school. After attending multiple schools in Far Rockaway, I visited Nigeria and attended schools there for over a year. Then, I returned to New York and learned in elementary school in Nassau County. From elementary school to middle school, my desires for the future changed frequently. They ranged from being a bus driver to being President of the United States. I was interested in multiplication and division problems and started playing the alto saxophone. In my time in high school, I had an interest in reciting digits of pi as I won first place in my grade from sophomore year to senior year for a pi memorization challenge at my school. My passion for music increased as I listened to gospel, jazz, and classical genres while playing the alto saxophone frequently. I joined the chorus and enjoyed singing to improve my voice and make me more confident on stage. During the beginning of my high school career, my hardworking mother faced financial burdens by taking care of medical, educational, and other necessary bills for my younger brother back in Nigeria to survive and grow. During this time, my other younger brother was having difficulty walking and also had a speech delay. This situation has made my mother worry about the health of my two younger siblings. To this day, my mother is still burdened and stressed about the well-being, education, and safety of all her children. The Hines Scholarship will not only relieve our financial burden, but also encourage me to work even harder in college to make my family happier and eventually make the world a healthier place to live in. I am majoring in pharmacy, an unpopular option for African Americans. I am pursuing this major because I am interested in medical research and improving the lives of people with medical conditions like my younger brothers. I am determined to create a pharmaceutical company that does innovative research on ALS, cancer, and developmental delays. The company will also improve healthcare for people worldwide. Going to college, the fifth chapter in my imaginative autobiography, means making my family proud and learning new things. It means building a foundation for something bigger than all of us.