Impact Stories

Growing up in a small town in Nigeria, Emmanuel Jr. Nweke (MPH ’24) had a passion for public health. Having overcome the tragedy of losing his father at a young age, Emmanuel, the fourth of five children, grew up in a loving home under the care of his mother and later his uncle, who unfortunately also passed away. “My dad died when I was 14 and my mother, a small businesswoman, took care of us to the best of her ability,” Emmanuel says.

Being involved in the field of public health has been one of Emmanuel’s aspirations since his childhood. “As a boy, I dreamed of making a big impact in the field of public health. I did not know much about the field but was driven by a passion to find a lasting solution to HIV, so I chose to study microbiology for my first degree. Just before I finished my undergraduate studies, I found out about epidemiology and public health and quickly became very interested in both fields. After I graduated, I did a lot of volunteering for humanitarian causes and resolved to do a master of public health to help me pursue my passion more effectively,” Emmanuel notes.

Emmanuel first heard about AUB from a friend who motivated him to explore options for graduate studies at AUB because of its academic standards and its reputation for supporting students in need. “I found out from a friend about AUB’s MPH program. I was very pleased to learn that it was the only Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited MPH program outside the US. I enjoyed the course content of the MPH program at AUB because, in a very short time, I felt competent and able to readily apply what I was being taught. This made me enjoy the whole learning process. Another thing I enjoyed was cordial relationships with faculty members at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS). They made studying at FHS feel like spending time with family. My course mates, and some friends I made at AUB especially at Kerr Dorm made my AUB experience enjoyable. It means a great deal to me. To be an alumnus of one of the best universities in the MENA region is a huge honor,” Emmanuel notes.

Emmanuel plans to stay in Lebanon and apply his knowledge to benefit Lebanese people. He says that he “felt loved and cared for by many Lebanese. I jokingly call myself a Lebanese. I am determined to serve the community in Lebanon. A lot of my personal plans changed during my time in Lebanon. I still want to return to my country Nigeria and contribute to its development, but my immediate priority is either to do a PhD or to get a job in Lebanon and give back to a people that have so loved me. For me, it’s not about the income I can make from a job, it’s about expressing gratitude for everything that has been done for me by my people, the Lebanese. If I choose to do a PhD, whenever I am done, I will still follow through on my priority to serve Lebanon in any way I can.”

Thanks to AUB’s Office of Financial Aid and the Said Khalaf Scholarship, Emmanuel was able to fulfil his dream and study at AUB with his tuition being fully funded. “I am a very private person. I seldom take pictures of myself or post pictures of anything I do. I rarely talk about myself on social media. What AUB’s Office of Financial Aid and the Said Khalaf Scholarship have done for me is something I am so grateful for that I want the whole world to know about it. The funding I received made embarking on this everlasting journey, and completing my MPH program, possible. The kindness of the donors has inspired me even more to not live for myself. The kindness of the donors is like a fuel to my humanitarian passion, and I will never forget it,” Emmanuel concludes.