糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Nursing Graduate Chika Okoli Finds New Career and Life in U.S.
Chika Okoli
In 2016, Chika Okoli moved to the United States from Nigeria, hoping to start a new career and a new life with his wife and three sons.聽
This new chapter in life started off with a major obstacle. His wife鈥檚 VISA was delayed, so Okoli traveled to the U.S. with his two oldest sons while his wife, who was then pregnant with his youngest son, remained in Nigeria. The family would stay separated for more than two years while they waited for Mrs. Okoli鈥檚 VISA to be approved.
鈥淢y dad went to college here in Little Rock back in the day and got a master鈥檚 degree from Texas. When I was planning to come over here to get my education, I decided to come here,鈥� Okoli said. 鈥淚 wanted to come with my family, but I couldn鈥檛 do that at the moment because of limitations on immigration. I had to come without my wife because our sons鈥� VISAs could expire if we waited. While I was in school here, I was a single dad with my two boys. It took almost three years before my wife and youngest son could come over.鈥�
While he had a bachelor鈥檚 degree in computer engineering from Nigeria, Okoli planned to combine his love of computers, which his close friends referred to him as 鈥淐yborg,鈥� with the healthcare industry by pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in nurse informatics, which requires an undergraduate degree in nursing. After joining 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Okoli was pleasantly surprised by how well he took to nursing.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know that medicine would be this awesome,鈥� Okoli said. 鈥淣ursing has gotten my attention.鈥�
糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock graduate Chika Okoli became a U.S. citizen on March 17.
After graduating with his associate of applied science in nursing in May 2021, Okoli began working as a nurse at a mental health facility with the Arkansas Department of Human Services. He also joined 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 online Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and will graduate this summer.
Once he finishes up at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Okoli is looking forward to the first break he鈥檚 had from school since 2017. However, it won鈥檛 be a long break. He is working to earn enough clinical hours so he can apply to the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at 糖心Vlog传媒MS with a specialty in psychiatry, a program he hopes to begin in August 2023.
鈥淥ne thing that worked for me is that I thrive pretty well under pressure,鈥� Okoli said. 鈥淚 am doing this for a purpose. That pressure is what drives me and gets me to do well. If you are coming into nursing, the first thing you learn is to be strong. I persevered even though it was difficult. With the solid background we had at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, you can compete with anybody anywhere.鈥�
Okoli also has another milestone to celebrate this spring. In addition to completing his education at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Okoli also became a U.S. citizen March 17. His family was there to help him celebrate, which now includes a daughter who was born in Arkansas in 2019.
鈥淢y full name, Chikaodinaka and abbreviated as Chika, means in God鈥檚 hands, and I trust God,鈥� Okoli said. 鈥淚鈥檝e aspired to live here for the rest of my life. That is why I applied for citizenship. Having citizenship status is breathtaking. That is how I understood that I鈥檓 meant to be here with my family for the rest of my life.鈥�
