From Nigeria to D.C.: Harpur Edge sets alumna up for career success
Ifeoluwa “Ife” Shoola graduated from Binghamton University in 2019 and moved to Washington, D.C., to pursue a career in nonprofit work focused in public service. But it wasn’t always clear to Shoola that this was going to be her path.
She began her undergraduate years at a university close to home in Nigeria studying medicine, but soon realized she wanted to explore more options. Shoola made the move to the United States in 2015 and transferred to Binghamton University, where she majored in integrative neuroscience and minored in Africana studies.
She immediately found herself taking advantage of every opportunity she could find. By her second semester, she began participating in extracurricular activities, including volunteering, research, community service and working on campus.
“I was so unsure of everything going into Binghamton, so I decided the best way to find my path was to try many different things,” Shoola said. “This helped me confirm so many things.”
One of her most impactful experiences, according to Shoola, was when she completed a self-designed Harpur Fellows community service project. She worked with the Harpur Edge office to return to Nigeria and create an innovation challenge for local youth. Shoola said the project pushed her out of her comfort zone and helped her find her passion for public service.
“Getting thrown into that intense of an experience — where I traveled back home to a city I never had been to before, I met people I had never met in person before and worked with people I was meeting for the first time in a new community — having that experience gave me confidence,” she recounted.
Once she realized her passion for public service, Shoola began exploring her career options further. Through talks with faculty mentors and career consulting appointments with Harpur Edge Director Erin Cody, she found out about a global policy conference in D.C. She then applied for funding from Harpur Edge’s High-Impact Student Learning Endowment, which enabled her to attend.
The conference provided her with more than an opportunity to network and learn more about global policy. She also learned two important things about herself: She absolutely adored life in D.C. — and global policy wasn’t for her.
She returned to Binghamton with a new set of goals and even more determination. Throughout her years at the University, she constantly sought advice from alumni through the Mentor Match program. When she spoke about her uncertainties, the alumni reassured her, reminding her that they were once in the same position.
“It was those conversations I had with alumni that helped define what my next steps would look like and what my goals were going to be,” Shoola said.
One of the alumni she connected with eventually recommended her for a job with Partnership for Public Service. After multiple interviews, Shoola got the job. Even better, it was located in Washington, D.C.
“My experience with Harpur Fellows absolutely helped me get the job,” she said. “Both had big interview groups which I would have felt nervous about; rather, I felt comfortable because of my past interviews before and after my project. Also, I could draw from Harpur Fellows as an exciting experience that set me apart.”
Shoola now works as a program coordinator for Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit that works to make the government more effective and efficient for the American people. In her role, she helps run leadership development programs focusing on government employees and agencies.
“I really enjoy it because it touches the heart of what I discovered I want to do, which is to answer the question: ‘How do I help people become better at their jobs and become better leaders and contributors to society?’” she said.
From Nigeria to Binghamton to Washington, D.C., Ife Shoola has followed her passions and made every opportunity work for her. As she continues on her path, she embodies what it means to gain and leverage the Harpur Edge.