Starting university is a big step, and for this first-year pharmacy student, it came with both excitement and challenges, from a deep love of organic chemistry to personal experiences that shaped their passion for pharmacy.
Tofunmi shares how the Alumni Scholarship Award has helped pursue her dreams, from science to art and beyond.
What brought you to the university?
“I am originally from Kent, but moved to Manchester at the age of nine. I am the oldest child of three siblings, and this inevitably comes with the pressure of being a good role model. A lot of this pressure I put on myself, and in high school I would try hard in all subjects, not spending a lot of time socialising. It all paid off as I won an award for academic excellence, but I did regret not spending more time with my friends and building friendships in college.
“At college, I focused on building a balance between my school and work life, and sometimes this included both at once. For example, I really enjoy chemistry, especially the organic aspect, and would help tutor my friends. This helped build our friendship while doing something I love.
“My love for organic chemistry stemmed from my pursuit of a career in pharmacy, alongside tutoring, as pharmacy involves a lot of patient interaction and providing advice to patients in a way that is communicable and understandable, just like tutoring!”
Favourite module and campus life
“I love the way the University of Nottingham structures the pharmacy course. Instead of just lectures, there are weekly quizzes to check your knowledge and workshops to apply your knowledge, my favourite being the molecular model workshop.
“My favourite aspect of pharmacy is professional practice, where you practice presenting medicines to patients and pharmacology, because I like learning about the importance of the autonomic nervous system as drugs can affect almost any part of it. I am hoping that once I understand biology more, especially molecular biology, I can do my own private research into oncology as cancer is what my mum died of, specifically T-cell lymphoma, and I hated how helpless and unknowledgeable I felt when she was sick.
“I am doing training to do primary school outreach, to attract young people to how wonderful science is, which is exciting. I am also in the mock Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) team, helping with mock exams to learn more about them.”
How the scholarship has helped
“I faced a tough time during A level season as my mum passed away, and it really took a toll on my mental health. As expected, during university, even now, I am struggling with grief, which is partly why I applied for the scholarship, as I knew I would need the support.
“This scholarship has given me the freedom to focus on my studies and find meaningful ways to spend my spare time – I honestly don’t know what I would have done without it. It has also allowed me to join societies, including the art society, which means a lot to me. I love art, and one of my favourite things was showing my mum my work and seeing the emotions it evoked.
“I also am in the book club, and I am reading a book called Memoirs of a Geisha, which has taught me a lot about Japanese culture and the post-war period. Also, I am in the black feminist society, which has allowed me to interact with people like me and has really made me feel part of a community!”
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