An exceptional lady named Chika Stacy Oriuwa has broken a record at the University of Toronto, Canada, after emerging as the first-ever black valedictorian of the institution’s faculty of medicine.
Chika was the only black student among the 259 in her class. She described her achievement as a testament to her advocacy during medical school.
In her valedictorian speech, Chika praised her colleagues for prioritising diversity and inclusion and rightfully naming her the best-graduating student in her set.
“I am incredibly thankful to those who voted for me, recognizing the value of the work that I do and the contributions I have made to the faculty and overall community. For me, it is a testament to the advocacy I have done over the last four years. To be able to come this far is also reflective of the shifting demographics and values of medicine today,’ she said.
“With my cohort of graduating physicians, it’s clear that we, as a collective group, value certain things more than they historically have been valued. We value diversity and inclusion, and that’s very reflective of me being voted class valedictorian,” she added in her valedictorian speech.
Chika Stacy noted that, being the only black student in her set, expectations and pressure were at times overwhelming.
She said, “I felt I had to prove my merit in the classroom. Not only did I feel like this was intrinsically motivated, but it was also externally reinforced when individuals would question if I had an easier route to get into medical school simply because of my race than somehow me getting in off my own merit,” she said.
Chika Stacy has received numerous awards, including being recognised as one of Best Health Magazine’s 2020 Women of the Year and listed 37th on Maclean’s Power list for 2022.
