Meet Graduate Esther Asabea Wiafe

For Esther Asabea Wiafe, college graduation is not the end of the road but the beginning of a new journey as she pursues a career in medicine, specifically obstetrics and gynecology. Esther graduated from the University of Maryland in May 2022 with a degree in Biological Science and is currently considering clinical internship opportunities while applying to medical school. As a recent immigrant and first-generation college student, Esther joined Nvolve in September 2020 to “gain knowledge outside of the classroom.” She wanted to learn the valuable skills needed to succeed in any professional environment. Being part of the program for two years, Esther has had many notable experiences within Nvolve. First, she gained valuable work experience at the internship provided to her through Nvolve’s partnership with Cedar Crosse Research Center. Jamie Lynn Bhairoo, Director of Clinical Research Operations and Business Development at Cedar Crosse, was thrilled with Esther’s contributions, saying that she “is an amazingly intelligent young woman with a kind heart that will lead her to achieve great things in her future career in medicine,” while also noting that “she taught me as much as I hope I was able to teach her.” At Nvolve Esther also gained advice in time management. In her own words, time management is necessary to “accomplish more with less effort, reduce stress, and learn to be self-disciplined.” She used these time management skills to complete semesterly technical projects which exposed her to new information and pushed her outside of her comfort zone. Recording her podcast episodes, STEM Facts, gave Esther the platform “to be heard” and to be confident and comfortable with voicing her opinions. Esther also built her leadership skills as a member of Nvolve’s Scholar Council. Working closely with Nvolve’s President, she worked on three key initiatives: development of a peer mentoring program, promotion of student recruitment, and planning of mentor/scholar events. Esther has decided to continue to serve on the Nvolve Scholar Council next year, representing her alumnae cohort.

However, Esther did not go through this alone. Described as friendly, knowledgeable, and a good listener, her mentor throughout this process was Dr. Anne Marie Youlio. Dr. Youlio is the Founder and CEO of ARDY Consulting, which focuses on helping “pharmaceutical companies, healthcare organizations, pharmacies, government agencies, and legal firms.” She volunteered to be a mentor because “it is important for women to support one another for advancement” and desired “to cultivate the future generation of STEM leaders.” Dr. Youlio’s main focus during the twice-monthly mentoring sessions was goal setting “both career and personal,”. She appreciated “the structure of the [Nvolve] program, which helped us to focus our conversations.” However, Dr. Youlio believes that the importance of Nvolve goes far beyond these life lessons. The “mentor/mentee relationship is important” but “equally important are the relationships formed between Nvolve scholars.” A key benefit of the program is the connections made along the way. Overall, Esther feels ready to flourish in any environment and plans to stay involved in her newfound community.