Onyinyechi Ozoji

My journey into nursing started when my mother was diagnosed with cancer. At the beginning of her battle with cancer, I did not have any healthcare experience or knowledge. However, over the course of the six years she was sick, which ended with me losing my mother, I gained a lot of information and advice from the compassionate nurses who took care of my mother at different points in her illness. This experience made me realize I wanted to be a nurse, so I could be there for my patients and their families, the way these nurses were there for us during one of our most trying times.

After immigrating to the United States in 2012, I registered at Montgomery College (MC) and started taking classes with plans to transfer to the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). While at MC, I met a counselor who informed me about the BSN program offered on the USG campus and explained the transfer process. I attended a UMSON open house at USG and was very excited about the convenience of the location, close-knit community of students, and the wealth of resources offered, especially the financial support available to students like me. I was fortunate to receive the prestigious Camille and Clifford Kendall Endowed Scholarship from USG and the Conway Scholarship from UMSON which was incredibly instrumental to my success as a nursing student, allowing me to focus on achieving my goals while balancing my responsibilities as a mother of a now 2-year-old son.

The close-knit community at USG afforded me the opportunity to get involved in multiple student organizations on campus, allowing me to develop leadership skills. In addition to being a board member for the University of Maryland Association of Nursing Students (UMANS), I have also served as a student orientation leader, peer tutor and a mentor to nursing students. Through my work as an advocate for nursing students, my goal is to help enhance their academic and co-curricular experience. I have facilitated a monthly nurse specialty lecture series for students in collaboration with nurses at Shady Grove Medical Center to expose students to other specialties that are not taught in nursing school.

Upon graduation, I will start my career as an Oncology nurse with the plan to earn my Doctorate of Nurse Practice (DNP) degree. I plan on becoming a nurse practitioner, so I can dedicate my time and skills to vulnerable populations and underserved communities that are most impacted by health disparities.