By Isabella Senno
Adetayo Oladele-Ajose does not slow down.
During her four years on campus, the University of Iowa, the graduating senior has been surrounded in a whirlwind of activity, leaping into everything from athletics to the arts to academics.
“She epitomizes kind of what we think of when we think of someone who is eager to learn. She’s like a kid in a candy store every day when she comes to classes; she’s excited every day to learn, she’s excited every day to interact with people,” said Jan Warren, the assistant director for student services at the Belin-Blank Honors Center.
Oladele-Ajose came to the UI when she was just 15 years old, and she will graduate on Saturday at age 20 from the Medicine Pre-Professional Program as well as the Biomedical Engineering Program with an emphasis in cardiovascular mechanics.
“I used to have a very strict plan, but I took the MCAT and scored lower than I wanted, so I didn’t get into med school this year, which … I’m actually really glad I didn’t make it in this year because I had a very rigid plan for my life and that kind of broke the plan, so it’s allowing a lot more flexibility, a lot more vulnerability into my life, and I appreciate that; it’s a very new, novel experience,” she said.
This adaptability is especially important because Oladele-Ajose does not see herself as limited to any one field.
“I also want to get an MBA, I still want to go to med school, I want to go to law school and do pro bono law for unrepresented or marginalized communities,” she said. “That’s a lot of school, so I want to do a double major or do a dual program.”
During her time as head of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the UI Student Government, the committee revamped the cultural houses around campus and put into place a much-requested bus route for them.
As a member of UISG, Oladele-Ajose helped to organize the Food Pantry at Iowa.
“She, along with other people, was instrumental in the setup of the Food Pantry,” said Sarah Ingwersen, a friend and co-director for the food pantry at Iowa.
As a self-labeled “Nigeri-can,” informal dance has been a complementary part of Oladele-Ajose’s life since she could walk. She took this interest further after she enrolled in a dance course here on campus.
“I grew up African, which means essentially that as soon as we can start dancing, we do. That’s a generalization but we are very much so a collectivist culture …” she said. “So I feel like it’s a big part of my life, but in the sense that I never really stop dancing, I just kind of do it wherever.”
Characterized as an individual with an effervescent personality and boundless energy by friends, Oladele-Ajose feels as if she has gained maturity as the years have gone by.
“Growing up, people would perceive my joy or my happiness as immaturity or naivety, but I feel like I’ve matured in a manner without slashing away at my joy,” she said. “I think I’ve grown a lot into myself, and I’m happy with where I am. I’m not done, I’m going to keep growing, but I’m happy with how I turned out …”