Victor Babatunde

VICTOR BABATUNDE

Born and bred in the bustling metropolis of Lagos, Victor honed his thirst for knowledge in the sciences, and to a lesser extent in the humanities. After completing high school in the esteemed Kings College Lagos, he set sights on pursuing liberal arts studies in the U.S. His burgeoning passion for the sciences and his flirtations with the humanities led him to travel more than 20 degrees in latitude to Bates College in Maine. Although he was welcomed to beautiful fall scenery of the campus on his arrival, he became quickly acquainted to the cold, long winters in Maine. All was set for a challenging yet incredible four year journey at Bates. As he came out of his "Naija" shell, he gradually bought into unfamiliar lifestyles that included outdoor camping, hiking, skiing, ice-skating, bundling up during the winter, and wearing as little as possible on not-so cold days. On the academic front, Victor developed his deep interest in the sciences eventually majoring in biological chemistry. Concurrently with his major, he explored his fascination with philosophy, literature and bioethics. His favorite classes were those courses that probed the ever so blurry lines between science and society. Victor's understanding of practical everyday issues continues to be shaped by his liberal arts education.

A wise person once said: "Life is short, spend it like a tourist". Victor took that literally. He hopped around cities, from New York City where he completed research internships at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, to underserved neighborhoods in Lewiston/Auburn, Maine where he was involved in tutoring, mentoring and volunteering with health organizations. Realizing that even a tourist has a home, he found one in the Africana club which he helped convene in his first year. Victor found his life-long friends within this group as he joined them to share nuances of African cultures and beliefs, debate African issues, play intramural soccer and wallyball (volleyball with walls) and collaborate on bringing African affairs on the forefront of campus discussions. Notwithstanding, he and his comrades ("Africanophiles") also took time to celebrate African cultures with cultural shows, dinner events and trademark dance nights.

In order to broaden his scientific expertise, Victor took time-off after college to be part of a research lab in Boston. There he learned to use genetic tools like microarrays to uncover the mysteries of type-2 diabetes and certain autoimmune diseases. During his research years, he realized that a medical career provides the perfect umbrella for him to both explore the sciences and make powerful impact in the lives of those around him. The next chapter of his life takes him to the clinical realm. Currently, Victor is in training to become a physician at Harvard Medical School.

In all this, he gives thanks to God and acknowledges the support of his family, friends and USAP. His story has only just begun.