June Alumni Spotlight: Itohan Eromosele (Gaithersburg High School)
Itohan Eromosele grew up in Nigeria, a bustling environment that never ceased, among a culture that prioritized community. She was brought up in a family that valued higher education and professionalism. Her family emigrated to the United States through the Special Immigrant Visa program following her father’s exceptional years of service to the United States Government. From then on, Itohan chased her dreams of working in the STEM world to promote important research and develop the field as a space for young women and other underrepresented groups to thrive.
Upon arrival, Itohan recognized the individualistic culture of the United States. “Here, you can have a neighbor for 30 years and barely talk to them. In Nigeria, all of your neighbors come out, talk to each other, and you know everyone on your street. I am a Christian, but my neighbors in Nigeria were Muslims. During Christmas, we would always bring them food and gifts, and during Ramadan or Salah, I think they call it Eid here, and they would always bring us food and gifts.”
Itohan also struggled with American media’ misinforming the public on African countries' lifestyles and culture. “When I first moved here, I got questions like, ‘Do you have a pet lion?’ Someone else asked me if we have clothes and houses.” She was shocked that in “the land of milk and honey” the public could be so ignorant as to not decipher stereotypes from reality, though she understood it was the media's fault.
Liberty’s Promise created a safe space for Itohan to connect with other youth experiencing similar feelings of homesickness and ostracization. “In Liberty’s Promise I felt like I belonged. One of the most important lessons the club helped me realize was that I didn’t have to make myself fit into any culture if it didn’t feel right. Instead I could surround myself with people who loved me and value diversity.”
Liberty’s Promise not only created a space for Itohan to connect with her peers and roots but also served as a launching pad for professional, academic, and community involvement opportunities. “When I started applying to colleges, my program officer, Julien, immediately looked for scholarships that I could apply to.” From this, she received funding for the first two years of her undergrad at Towson University. She also remembers the leadership skills she gained as president in Liberty’s Promise at Gaithersburg High School, participation in community events, and volunteering with the unhoused population.
Back in Nigeria, her mother encouraged her to try the science route as she thought she may enjoy being a doctor. “In my first semester, I performed poorly in biology. I thought ‘This is it, this is the end.’ But then I buckled up, studied harder and attended more tutoring sessions than I previously did. I ended up being the best in my class the next semester.”
In Nigeria, graduating from high school at 15 would have been typical, but in the U.S., Itohan’s early graduation from Gaithersburg High School set her apart. In 2022, Itohan graduated from Towson with a major in Molecular and Cellular Biology and a minor in Bioinformatics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It was the opportunity to explore the unknown through dissections and research that drew her to the STEM field.
Her undergraduate research experience affirmed that she wanted to apply for a PhD program at Johns Hopkins University. “My PhD is in retinal regeneration using nanoparticles to deliver therapeutics to retinal cells for regeneration. I use the zebrafish model because if you ablate all of their photoreceptors making them blind, within 96 hours, 100% of their vision is back. Their genome is very similar to humans, so one of the key things to understand is what genes make them regenerate. One of the projects I am looking at is knocking out a couple of genes to see if more regeneration or less regeneration occurs to identify the genes. Some genes have already been identified!” Itohan describes her PhD experience as incredibly hard work that comes with gratifying results.
“I hope to use the knowledge I have learned here to make the world a better place for future PhD and medical students. I want to spread scientific knowledge and diversity in STEM. I believe that with the right guidance, you can always overcome any challenge.”
For current LP youth, Itohan advises, “Have fun! Enjoy yourself and make connections because they do matter at the end of the day. Surround yourself with people you’re happy around and in a safe and inclusive community; one where you don’t feel like you have to change yourself because ultimately that will make you the best version of yourself.”
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