Author: Adiki Puplampu
Date: 14 March 2025
Introduced to the ELITE Program by a friend, Irene Nwokeforo was excited to find a program made specifically for Black youth, a program where she saw herself reflected. A second year computer engineering student in the software program, Irene was drawn to her major by the intersections it provided between coding and hardware knowledge. A puzzler at heart, Irene has always been drawn to math and sciences, even tutoring other students through the Kumon Math and Reading Centre.
As a Summer 2024 ELITE Program intern, Irene had the opportunity to work in the Rehabilitation Robotics Lab. Her project was focused on developing systems to help people with disabilities living in rural areas conduct at-home assessments. This role provided her with insights into the life of an engineering researcher, something she deeply appreciated. Over the course of her internship, Irene had the opportunity to present her work to investors in the project, one of her major accomplishments from her time in the lab.
For Irene, who was used to more regimented work environments, it was a surprising challenge to adjust to the more improvisational and self-guided nature of a research lab.
“If I ever decide to go into research, I’m going to have a pretty strong idea of how it works, which is what I really took away from this”, said Irene.
An Edmonton transplant, Irene especially enjoyed the Wellness and Coaching component of the ELITE Program’s wrap around programming. Her time in the series reminded her that many of her experiences are universal and that there’s no one perfect way to practice wellness. Coming out of the ELITE Program, Irene has a clearer sense of her professional mission: to work on projects that meet the needs of marginalized groups. The ELITE Program is glad we got to play a role, however small, in helping Irene refine and strengthen her goals and personal aspirations.