Thanks to the support of a Dorothy Goodwin Scholarship, Kerren Katembo ’22 is hoping to visit Uganda this summer to fulfill her dream of working with the Avon, Connecticut-based organization Guiding Light Orphans (GLO). She had planned to travel to Uganda last summer to teach women and girls entrepreneurial and life skills but had to postpone the trip due to the pandemic. A biology major and psychology minor in the College of Arts and Sciences, Kerren is also part of UHart’s Pre-Medical Professions Advising Program and is planning on a career as a pediatric surgeon.
Last year as a Hillyer College honors student, Kerren says she remembers the day when Assistant Professor of Academic Strategies Linda Moran pulled her aside after class and told her she was being considered for Goodwin scholarship offered through the University’s Women’s Advancement Initiative. “I found out the day before my 20th birthday, which was somewhat ironic, because I told myself that I want to make my 20s count by doing wonders to make the world a better place.”
Kerren says she learned about GLO from her biology lab instructor Cherie Walton, who put her in touch with its Executive Director and Founder Jolly Lux who travels between Uganda and Connecticut. “We had been communicating via email and we finally met in person at the Starbucks on campus,” says Kerren. “Meeting Jolly has changed my life in ways that I’d never expect.”
She also credits Moran with having a major impact on her success. “Professor Moran has a definite passion for helping people bring out the best in themselves,” says Kerren. “She has helped me gain confidence though the Leadership Honors course and has been a huge asset to this project.”
Kerren says the Honors Program also helped her find friends and kindred spirits, plus it allowed for her to grow in ways she never expected and become more creative, insightful, and open-minded. She says her future includes graduate school to earn a PhD in anthropology and linguistics before attending medical school.
Watch Kerren describe her growth at UHart
Kerren Katembo '22, Biology; Psychology minorHillyer College has allowed to realize that I am capable of doing anything. I used to think my dreams and goals were limited. So many doors have opened for me and I’ve been so fortunate to walk through them, achieving my dreams in ways that I didn't think I could before.