Tochukwu Njoku: A journey from uncertainty to confidence at Dana-Farber

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute shared the following on LinkedIn:

“For Tochukwu Njoku, a period that started in uncertainty ended with cheers and high-fives.

Njoku and nearly 60 fellow Boston-area high school and college students came together at Dana-Farber to salute each other’s achievements as part of the Workforce Development Student Training Program. Gathered with mentors, supervisors, and loved ones, they shared stories about their time spent interning in labs, clinics, and other departments across the Institute – and the skills and confidence they’ve gained along the way.

Officially, the event was a Summer Closing Celebration and Scholarship Awards Ceremony, but it felt more like a beginning than an end. Njoku, a recent graduate of John D. O’Bryant High School of Mathematics and Science who will be attending Yale University this fall, credits his three years in the training program for shaping his career goals of being a physician and researcher.

‘When I came to Dana-Farber, I didn’t know what to expect,’ explains Njoku, who spent afternoons processing blood samples and serum plasma in the Gastrointestinal Oncology Department. “To be honest, I didn’t know anything about clinical researchers or lab techs or what they did. Now I’m going to be studying molecular and cellular biology and hopefully coming back for another internship here.

Since Workforce Development launched its student training program in 2007, more than 600 high school and college students from Dana-Farber’s high school and community-based partners – including John D. O’Bryant, Fenway High School, Madison Park High Technical Vocational High School, Sociedad Latina, and Youth Enrichment Services – have secured summer and academic-year internships. In addition to gaining real work experience in ​​50-plus Dana-Farber departments, participants attend professional development workshops and tour area colleges.

Program leaders Candace A. Burns and Rachada Hiranyaket say its goals are in line with Dana-Farber’s overall commitment to building a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce, increasing access and reducing barriers to careers in health care, and training the next generation of healthcare professionals. The pair form powerful and lasting relationships with the students and take pride in the fact nearly 90 participants have gained full-time employment at the Institute post-college.

‘This is not just a summer or after-school job, it’s an experience,” Burns, director of Inclusion & Workforce Development, told students at the ceremony. “You’ve shown dedication, embraced new challenges, and fostered meaningful relationships. Please use this network you have built to achieve your goals.’

Hiranyaket implored students to ‘let your greatness shine beyond what’s on paper and beyond your academics’ as they continue their schooling and careers.

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