Knowing what you want to do when you enter college can be both a gift and a challenge.
While it may help you avoid the uncertainty of finding a field you are passionate
about, it can also make it harder to see how coursework and university requirements
align with your goals.
For Chinaza Munonye, a Judy Genshaft Honors College student and rising senior at the
University of South Florida, the answer was simple: make her courses work for her.
Honors Courses and a Launching Pad for Research
Munonye鈥檚 interest in dermatology began in high school, when her sister鈥檚 severe eczema went undiagnosed for years, a struggle she attributes to a lack of physicians trained to recognize conditions on darker skin tones.
鈥淚 loved that I could choose my own topic. It made me realize I could use Honors classes to pursue research I鈥檓 passionate about.鈥� 鈥� Chinaza Munonye
鈥淭here wasn鈥檛 a doctor who could diagnose her, most likely because of her skin tone,鈥�
Munonye said. 鈥淲e eventually found a dermatologist who treated her, but it became
too expensive.鈥�
Her mother turned to African black soap 鈥� and the eczema disappeared. That outcome
inspired Munonye鈥檚 first research project, studying herbal and conventional antifungals
that combat Malassezia, a fungus associated with eczema.
鈥淭his experience was so personally meaningful,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t drove my passion for
researching racial and socioeconomic disparities in dermatology.鈥�
When Munonye arrived at 木瓜视频, she continued that work through her Honors coursework.
In Acquisition of Knowledge 鈥� a required course for first-year students focused on
interdisciplinary inquiry 鈥� she wrote a thesis on racial disparities in dermatology.
鈥淚 loved that I could choose my own topic,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t made me realize I could
use Honors classes to pursue research I鈥檓 passionate about.鈥�
Munonye began to grow in her confidence as a student and undergraduate researcher.
Earlier this year, Munonye presented her work at the Florida Undergraduate Research
Conference at 木瓜视频, where she explored an emerging treatment for vitiligo.
鈥淚t was nerve-wracking, and I didn鈥檛 have much time to prepare,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I
learned never to feel too nervous to share my findings 鈥� or myself 鈥� with the world.
I still have my conference badge in my room as a reminder.鈥�
Building Confidence on Campus
Munonye鈥檚 Honors coursework has helped her grow as a leader both inside and outside of the classroom.
Chinaza Munonye opens a Derm Scholars event, the student organization she founded.
鈥淚 came into undergrad with a fear of being perceived,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t took me two years to reverse that. For me, as I accumulate knowledge, I accumulate confidence 鈥� and my classes at 木瓜视频 helped build that.鈥�
This confidence led to action. Munonye founded , an award-winning, dermatology-focused student organization. Projects in Honors classes
such as Medicine, Drugs, and Culture and Art and the Refugee Experience helped her
expand her perspective and strengthen her voice.
Her advice to fellow Honors students:
鈥淢ake your Honors courses work for you 鈥� it's really important to use those classes
to find and develop a passion. Pour you heart into every project you can, and remember
that you get out of these classes what you put in.鈥�
Dreaming of a Career in Dermatology
Up next, Munonye plans to take the MCAT and go to medical school.
鈥溎竟鲜悠� was an era for me of transition and building confidence, but I鈥檓 ready to take
a deep dive into my academic journey and go to the next level,鈥� said Munonye. 鈥淚 want
to be a skin of color dermatologist, which is a dermatologist that specializes in
the treatment of those with darker skin tones 鈥� I would love to be a physician that
helps bridge the gap.鈥�
Wanting to make an impact, Munonye is excited to make an impact on her future patients
but also impact the field of dermatology broadly.
鈥淚 want to be a dermatologist who improves the field at large, outside of just my
patients 鈥攆rom doing research in sub-Saharan Africa to possibly becoming the president
of the or of the , I know I want to make an impact.鈥�
Though there is much work to do, Munonye resists getting overwhelmed. Small steps
of action is her strategy for making a difference.
鈥淭he only way to address these problems is action 鈥� that might be through research
that spreads awareness, or it could be through becoming a dermatologist and moving
to sub-Saharan Africa to treat people without access to dermatologic care. Any action,
any positive deed helps.鈥�
Want to explore Honors courses like the ones that shaped Munonye鈥檚 journey? Check out the current offerings on the Judy Genshaft Honors College website.