Celebrating Adanna Ekekwe's Graduation with a Cookout in Maryland, USA

Celebrating Adanna Ekekwe’s Graduation with a Cookout in Maryland, USA

By Ihiasota Boniface, USA

Adanna Ekekwe’s graduation cookout held on July 30th in Maryland was described as fun, eventful, and exciting by attendees. The celebration was a display of love, as the celebrant’s friends, colleagues, and loved ones gathered at the Walkins Regional Park to commemorate her academic milestone.

The attendees enjoyed a delicious spread of food that included both cooked and grilled dishes. The atmosphere was further enlivened by DJ 911, who played a variety of upbeat songs that had the guests dancing and having a great time.

Adanna Ekekwe, who is the child of Sir Ignatius Ekekwe and Dr. Christiana Ekekwe, graduated with flying colors from Duval High School in Lanham Maryland. She proceeded to the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) where she was a Meyerhof Scholar.

Adanna Ekekwe was involved in various activities during her time at UMBC, including serving as a residential assistant, teaching assistant, tutor, captain of the African Student Association dance team, and establishing and leading CURL PWR (Power with representation).

During her time at UMBC, Adanna was extensively involved in biological research. Following her first year at college, she traveled to the University of Minnesota School of Medicine to engage in neuroscience research, an experience that sparked her interest in biomedical sciences. Subsequently, Adanna pursued undergraduate research at UMBC until she completed her studies.

In the summer after her third year of college, Adanna participated in the Physician-Scientists Summer Undergraduate Research Program at the State University of New York Upstate University, where she continued to do neuroscience research. She has presented her research at numerous conferences, including the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) held in Anaheim, California.

Adanna obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Psychology from UMBC, graduating with honors on May 26, 2022. She is currently working as a post-baccalaureate researcher at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), focusing on researching Diabetes and Metabolic pathways. She plans to attend medical school after her time at NIH.