Randolph-Macon College student Nana Bamfo ’16 was born in Ghana and grew up in Pennsylvania. For the last four years she has made RMC her home, digging into all the college has to offer.

“The best thing about life as a Yellow Jacket is being part of the international community on campus and identifying with others from different places all over the world,” she says. “I also know that after I graduate, I will be joining a network of alumni who realize the significant impact RMC made in their lives and who are always willing to give back to this community.”

Getting The Edge
Bamfo chose her major (biology) and minors (religious studies and chemistry) with an eye toward the future.

“I’ve known for some time that I want to become a doctor,” she says, “and that my major and minors will prepare me well for medical school.” Bamfo worked with staff from The Edge, RMC’s four-year career preparation program, throughout the years as she set her sights on the future. Edge staff reviewed her résumé, steered her toward internship and scholarship opportunities, and gave career advice.

“I’ve also worked closely with Josh Quinn, medical careers coordinator for The Edge, and my academic advisor, Biology Professor Grace Lim-Fong, to prepare for medical school,” she says. “In addition, I attended the Edge Boot Camp, which prepared me for my medical school interview.” Boot Camp is a two-day immersion program in which students learn to identify their career passions and hone their interview and communication skills to prepare for success after college.

Giving Back
In 2013, Bamfo and three classmates received a grant from the Davis United World College Scholars program. The students, along with French Professor Jennifer Shotwell, traveled to Haiti to implement their project, “A Spark of Hope for Peace,” which stressed the value of education in promoting peace in Haiti. The RMC team used the Davis grant to sponsor the secondary education of a Haitian student; they also donated French books for a new library and organized an arts-and-crafts summer camp.

Internship
An internship at the Science Museum of Virginia (SMV) in summer 2015 further honed Bamfo’s critical-thinking skills. At the SMV, Bamfo and three of her classmates spent nine weeks designing curricular modules that can be used to bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) educational activities to students in grades 3-6. That experience led to an additional opportunity: This summer, Bamfo will travel to Ghana to host a STEM camp with a second grant from the Davis United World Scholars program.

“I will be engaging students in class activities centered around STEM,” she explains. “The goal is to show students that subjects in STEM can be fun. I am targeting underserved and impoverished communities to excite and engage children in learning. I hope to expose these children to new experiences and to move them closer to understanding how to build and maintain an educated and productive community.”

Next Up: Medical School
This fall, Bamfo, the recipient of RMC’s Dr. and Mrs. Marshall and Alice McCabe Pre-Med Endowed Scholarship, will begin graduate studies at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Randolph-Macon College has an Early Selection partnership with GWU, which encourages second-year RMC students who have achieved academic distinction and demonstrated medical and community-service experience to pursue provisional acceptance to the medical school at GWU.

“I will pursue a career in either surgery or international medicine,” she says. “I chose GWU because it is in the center of D.C., where I will be around many influential people who can make effective changes in healthcare. I was also attracted to GWU’s strong international medicine program.”

Campus Life
Bamfo is a member of numerous campus organizations. An Honors student, she is also a religious studies tutor; a Leadership Fellow; and a member of Service Fellows, Nourish International, Beta Beta Beta, Chi Beta Phi, Theta Alpha Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, and the National Residence Hall Honorary Society. Her advice for new Yellow Jackets reflects her own experiences.

“Get connected with all the resources available to you on campus,” she advises. “And don’t be afraid to seek help if you need it. There are a lot of people on campus who are ready to be of assistance and point you in the right direction. Most importantly, create a balance between your academic life and social life. Have a lot of fun, and make memories.”