Damilola Oke
2019
Douglasville, Georgia
My name is Damilola Oke, and I was born in Lagos, Nigeria but currently reside in Douglasville, Georgia. I am a Psychology major (B.S.) and will be obtaining minors in Chemistry and Global Health. Ever since my AP Psychology course in high school, I have been drawn towards understanding the mechanisms and reasons behind people’s feelings and behaviors. I am especially drawn towards psychopathology, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience. I continue to witness the importance of studying psychology in my personal life -- especially with the lack of acknowledgement in the Black community. Growing up and having family still residing in Nigeria, Ghana, and the US, I have noticed several health disparities. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to research and work in South Africa, India, Honduras, and Mexico.
At Duke, I have worked with America Reads America Counts (ARAC), a tutoring program with local Durham students, for several years. I have been on the executive board for Future is Now (FIN), which is a mentorship program with young girls from Durham. I worked on the NURTURE research project with Duke Health and have been working in a neuropsychology lab. This summer, I worked on a DukeEngage project in Kochi, India and Cape Town, South Africa. I am currently on the executive board for Minority Association of Pre-medical Students (MAPS).
“I could not imagine my Duke experience without Cardea; it definitely smoothed my transition from my under resourced high school into the rigorous pre-med atmosphere at Duke. Coming from a low-income background, I am relieved from the burden of purchasing pre-med textbooks, thanks to Cardea. ”