What did you study at
NYU?
I studied at the
College of Arts and Science, where I majored in philosophy while also taking
courses on the pre-health curriculum.
What’s your favorite
memory from NYU?
There are so many
memories to choose from so I can’t exactly settle on one, but some of my
favorite memories at NYU included experiences and events with people where I
felt safe, included, and able to express myself completely and fully. Some
events and organizations I had a great time with include: Academic Achievement
Program (AAP), Gentlemen Of Quality (GQ), Opportunity Program (OP), Pre-Health
Advisory Board (PHAB), Comm*Unity,
Alternative Breaks, MLK Jr. Scholars, and my study abroad experience.
Florby Dorme: his story continues
Florby Dorme: his story continues
How has your
educational experience at NYU shaped what you do now?
My educational
experience at NYU has given me the tools to ask questions, and to think for
myself about the solutions to the challenges I faced as a student. My
educational experience was a rigorous one—I took philosophy courses that
challenged me to remain skeptical and open to questions and topics that did not
have one explicit answer, while under the pre-health track, I dealt with topics
that appealed to the analytical side of me—topics of science that were black
and white. These contrasts, along with my academic courses, set a
foundation for me that ultimately drew me to public health research, a field
where I could ask questions that did not have clear cut answers, but did have a methodology that would allow me to address what I did not know.
What made you decide to
pursue a Fulbright scholarship?
I decided to pursue a
Fulbright scholarship after I had underwent a program called H.E.A.L.T.H.
(Health Educator and Awareness Leadership Training Honors Program) in my
sophomore year. This program, through the NYU
School of Medicine's Office of Diversity Affairs, the Academic Achievement
Program, and the College of Arts and Science’s Opportunity Programs, gave me the
exposure to the basics of research while also giving me the opportunity to
study one healthcare matter of my choice in the field of public health. My
work on the topic proposal, access to maternal healthcare, got me
interested in clinical research, and allowed me to begin thinking about the
larger implications of public health research. From that experience, I began to
explore the idea of my role, as a future variable within the healthcare system,
and how I, as an aspiring researcher, could think of and suggest interventions
for the communities afflicted by a healthcare problem. After going through
the program, I came across the Fulbright program, and I immediately knew that
this opportunity matched exactly with how I wanted to grow in the area of
public health research.
How did you decide what
you wanted to do as a Fulbright scholar?
When I was a junior, I
met Dr. Nerys Benfield (MD, MPH, Assistant Professor at Albert Einstein College
of Medicine), while looking and applying for internships. After completing the
HEALTH program, I wanted to continue to learn about research, and was exploring
opportunities to do so in a clinical setting. I soon connected with Dr.
Benfield, and shortly after I started working with her as an intern on her
research studies. As an intern, I was
responsible for supporting her research, which explored family planning access
and use in conflict settings. Under Dr. Benfield, I reconciled data, drafted
literature reviews, and edited draft manuscripts and research protocols, all
about family planning in the Democratic Republic of Congo. When the Fulbright opportunity came, I knew I
wanted to continue on what I learned working with Dr. Benfield, and so the focus
of my research proposal became exploring reproductive health access and use in
conflict settings.
As a Fulbright scholar,
I am working on executing my research proposal, titled, Reproductive Health Access and Use Among Internally Displaced Women in
Abuja Nigeria. This project will examine the reproductive health (RH) concerns
and challenges of internally displaced persons (IDP) in Abuja, Nigeria. Through
a needs based assessment, this project will describe the barriers against
adequate RH, as well as RH history, knowledge, and desires of IDP since the
Boko Haram insurgency. The data will be used to provide recommendations that
will result in early stages of program development for IDP women.
As a Fulbright scholar,
you work with The Wellbeing Foundation Africa.
What does this organization do, and what made you decide to work with
them as a scholar?
The Wellbeing
Foundation Africa (WBFA) is a healthcare NGO (Non-governmental organization)
based in Nigeria with a mission of educating, empowering, and advocating for
accessible and sustainable health in Africa. The Wellbeing Foundation and its
programs address multiple intersections including: furthering the education for
midwives and frontline community health workers; advancement of early childhood
mental and physical health development, and bringing to attention the necessity
of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. I decided to
work with WBFA after my mentor, an alumnus of NYU, and member of Gentlemen of
Quality (GQ), connected me with Dr. Chinedu Nwaboubi, a then fellow in maternal
fetal medicine at University of South Florida. Dr. Nwaboubi introduced me to
Dr. Luther-King Fasehun, country director to The Wellbeing Foundation, and
after a conversation about Fulbright and my research ideas, Dr. Fasehun was on
board. Dr. Fasehun’s enthusiasm and
support toward my research ideas solidified for me [what] I wanted to do with
WBFA, because I felt confident enough to continue the application process, knowing
that I was working with a great organization that would be able to support me
fully, and that made me feel great about moving forward.
What is a typical day
like for you as a scholar and working alongside this organization?
A typical day for me as
a Fulbright scholar and working alongside WBFA really breaks into two main
things: my responsibilities relating to my role as a Fulbright scholar, and my
responsibilities relating to my role as an intern at WBFA. As a Fulbright
scholar, I am the principal investigator of my research project. I am
responsible for managing the progress of my research, developing my research
protocol, identifying stakeholders and partners, and mobilizing my team to
conduct the research. As an intern at WBFA, my role is very different. I work
closely with the country director, and I learn about various things related to
policy advisory, stakeholder engagement, and grant writing and review.
Depending on the day, I am usually working as both, completing my tasks as an
investigator conducting research, while also working in my role at WBFA.
What is one memorable
moment you have experienced thus far in your work as a scholar with The
Wellbeing Foundation Africa?
One memorable moment I’ve
experienced as a Fulbright scholar occurred while I was close to completing the
data collection portion of my research. While I was in the process of preparing
logistics to conduct the field research, I held a two day training session for
the entire research team. The goal of the training session was for members of
the team to become acquainted with one another and to also fully train and
equip our enumerators to conduct research on the study. This moment was memorable to me because it was
during a time that was very difficult. The pressure to complete the research
under our deadline posed a real challenge, and it became hard at times to not
feel overwhelmed amongst the challenges we faced. Although I was very stressed,
the first day of the training session went amazingly well. This moment was
memorable to me because it personally felt like I “caught my second wind”. In
seeing the response to the training session, I felt very validated at the
process and progress I went through. With my mentors and supervisors providing positive
feedback, I was able to use the experience as fuel to continue and complete the
necessary work we needed to do. It was one of many affirming moments that I was
on the right track.
What do you see
yourself doing after your scholarship ends?
After my Fulbright scholarship ends in June, I see myself working in the same capacity as I am
now. This Fulbright opportunity was the
first of several huge changes in my life: it was the first time I lived out of
the country for more than six months, it was my first time on the African
continent, my first time in Nigeria, and last but certainly not least, it was
my first professional experience in the field of my choice. I have had an
amazing experience as a young professional, and have learned so much in my role
as a research investigator and intern at WBFA. I have built a foundation of
networks and experience in the field of public health, and I want to continue
my momentum after my Fulbright journey ends. I want to continue to grow as a
professional, and explore opportunities where I can apply the skills I’ve
learned through my experience to continue to work within the field of research
and reproductive health.
Do you have any advice
for students and alumni looking to pursue a Fulbright scholarship?
If you are interested
in pursuing a Fulbright scholarship, then my piece of advice is to take the
time to understand what you bring to the table. The Fulbright Scholar Program is a
wonderful opportunity, and a program with prestige. Its alumni are full of
people who are the leaders of their respective fields, and are some of the top
minds of the world. At the end of the day, however, the Fulbright Scholar Program is a
product of its applicants, who are people just like you and me. My journey,
experience, and success as a Fulbright scholar are only due to my understanding
of what I could bring to the table. Being clear of what I could contribute as a
young professional, an academic, and a person with my own unique experiences is
what allowed me to narrow my focus, and showcase my strength as an applicant to
this program. I believed that because of that I knew the value I could add to
the program, and I understood clearly how a Fulbright was also a great
opportunity for me. No matter what type of Fulbright you are applying for, if
you are clear on what you can bring to the table, you will be clear on your
strengths, and you will be that much more able to showcase this in your
application.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.