Uchenna Duru Shines in Service, Studies
Uchenna Duru ’08, M.B.A. ’10, has always been one to help those around her. In high school, Duru was always there to offer her time and assistance whether it was through organized service trips or helping a classmate.
“I love leadership and I always loved service,” Duru said. “Someone once told me, ‘It’s more than being a Good Samaritan — you have a passion for serving others.’”
When Duru started looking at Rider University to continue her studies, she was attracted to the Rider Community Scholars/Bonner Leaders Program.
“It was a great fit because I knew I wanted to continue to serve,” she explained.
Her membership in the program opened a lot of doors to leadership opportunities. As a freshman, she immediately became involved with an afterschool mentoring program in Trenton. She also became a Bonner Congress Representative, which allowed her to travel to various places, including California, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee, to network with other Bonners. She also collaborated with representatives from The College of New Jersey, Mercer County Community College and Middlesex Community College.
During spring break of her sophomore year, Duru volunteered at two orphanages and schools as part of Rider’s service trip to the Dominican Republic, organized by Rider’s Catholic Ministry and the Center for Multicultural Affairs and Community Service. Duru said that experience led her to propose the idea of a Bonner-sponsored international service trip to Heather Brisby, coordinator of Community Service.
After two years of planning, Duru organized a service trip to Belize, where 12 volunteers helped construct a hurricane-proof playground area and tutored school children at St. Andrew’s Anglican School in San Ignacio Town, Cayo, last spring.
“It was a phenomenal trip, and it was also emotional because I worked so hard to put it together,” said Duru, who also served as the Bonner Community Impact Intern, allowing her to organize extra projects, including the Belize trip, for the program. “I wanted to create something from nothing. I believe that if you have a passion and an inner voice telling you that you can do it, you just have to go along with it.”
Duru’s parents raised her to always reach for the stars. At an early age, she learned what it was like to work hard toward a goal.
Both of her parents are from Nigeria and came to the United States to pursue their college degrees. Her mother attended Columbia University, while her father attended Rutgers University. Though four of their children were born in America, the Durus decided to move back home to raise them in their native culture. Duru was born in Nigeria.
The family returned to the United States when Duru was 8. She said it took her a long time to adjust to her new home and she was often made fun of because of the way she talked.
“I didn’t know a lot of English. From third to eighth grade, I was in ESL,” said Duru, who lives in Maplewood, N.J. “I did well in math because math and science are strong subjects in Nigeria.”
At Rider, Duru excelled in her undergraduate studies, and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management. Currently, she is pursuing her M.B.A., so she can broaden her knowledge in finance.
Duru is a graduate assistant in the Center for Multicultural Affairs and Community Service. The center aims to incorporate diversity in campus programming, including Celebration of Lights, World AIDS Day and Unity Days. As a graduate assistant, Duru coordinates meetings with administrators, students and campus organizations. She also serves as adviser of the Black Student Union and oversees the Multicultural Student Leadership Institute.
“I try to stress to students to get involved with various aspects of Rider,” she said.
Duru, who plans to receive her master’s degree in 2010, wants to work in the healthcare field after graduation.
“I want to make an impression in somebody’s life in some way. I’m particularly interested in women’s and children’s issues,” she said. “My ultimate goal is to start a nonprofit in children’s education and nutrition.”
