Abiola started her internship her junior year at Rutgers College, while majoring in Cell Biology and Neuroscience. Her previous plans consisted of going on to medical school to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. in Public Health with a “view to reforming health care in Africa”. Moreover, she had been interested in gender dynamics and cultural influences as they affect health, as well as AIDS care and prevention programs for African women. At the time, she had also been prepared to intern at the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation that upcoming fall.
A native of Nigeria, Abiola believed that her life there and the lack of good quality healthcare have shaped her ambition to influence changes in modern health care. Her project focused on the effects of acculturation and socioeconomic status on AIDS knowledge among Latino adults in New Jersey. She had expressed that working with Dr. Jane Miller on the project was especially beneficial to her learning experience, as Dr. Miller’s recent research interests at the time had also focused on AIDS knowledge.
Regarding Abiola’s experience during Project L/EARN, she had stated, “It was good for me to have evidence that even under stress, I can get things done well.” She had also expressed that she enjoyed having the opportunity to gain insight from other members of the institute, who had helped guide her research direction. Lastly, she had credited Project L/EARN for giving her the opportunity to try social science research, which she had liked.
