From a young age, Hazel Ekeke NU’27 has been interested in sexual and reproductive healthcare, and she has already spent more than a decade advocating for underserved populations. Growing up in New York City offered her numerous opportunities for community engagement—she worked at free clinics and as a sexual health educator throughout high school—and she sought a similarly urban environment to continue her education. The curriculum of Penn’s School of Nursing combined with its location in Philadelphia provided the perfect collegiate setting for Hazel: “Beyond core classes, there are so many different minors to pursue. My Bioethics and Urban Studies minors allow me to explore my passions and engage with courses throughout the University. These options, along with independent studies and projects, enable me to truly customize my experiences. Being at Penn has also allowed me to do meaningful work within the community, and that’s very important to me.”
Hazel consistently surpasses requirements to forge her academic path. In addition to fulfilling her course obligations, she serves as a NICU and postpartum research assistant at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, through which she supports studies aimed at improving postpartum care for parents of babies with adverse fetal and neonatal conditions. Additionally, she works as a campus EMT with Penn’s Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT), and she is also a trained doula and board member of the Philadelphia Alliance for Labor Support (PALS). With this important organization, Hazel helps guide students and community members to become doulas and connects them with hospitals where they can provide free doula services to birthing patients. On the education committee for Penn Reproductive Justice (PRJ), she organizes campus events and workshops about sustainable periods and HIV/AIDS awareness. “Through PRJ, we successfully advocated for free menstrual products in all Penn dorms, and we hosted a large reproductive justice conference with speakers from across the county. I’m grateful to see this work extend from campus into the larger community.”
As a highly-aided student, Hazel acknowledges the role of alumni philanthropy in her academic journey. Through the availability of emergency funding and the option to take additional course credits each semester and over the summer, financial aid has empowered Hazel’s Penn experience and helped her envision her dreams. “As a student here, I’ve been exposed to so many different ideas and opportunities for service. I’ve realized my passion for working with people who are incarcerated, and I’ve considered new ways to work within the community. Being at Penn has changed my life, and I’m so grateful.”
During her remaining time as an undergraduate, Hazel looks forward to increased access to advanced courses in her specific fields of interest. “Every semester, I learn more about myself and get closer to the work I’ve wanted to do since I was a child.” Looking ahead, she will pursue her Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Bioethics degrees and realize her lifelong dream of becoming a Nurse Midwife and Nurse Ethicist. “I’m really interested in how the implicit biases of healthcare providers affect their interactions with patients. I’m passionate about amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and addressing the stigmas held by those responsible for their care. I believe in the transformative power of education to help us think differently, remove stigmas, and save lives.”
Favorite Penn Memory
