International doctoral student Cynthia C. Ezeh travels from Nigeria to the Swamp
A contagious smile and a positive attitude can take you far, even from Nigeria to the University of Florida. Add in an incredible work ethic and you’ve got Cynthia Ezeh, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemical Engineering.
Growing up in a family of six, Ezeh was no stranger to having to work hard and prove herself. While she fondly recalls life with six siblings, she says it was not easy being one of the youngest.
“As I was growing up, I didn’t really get engaged in some of their bigger conversations,” Ezeh said, adding that this all turned around when she became the first in her family to graduate from a university with first-class honors. “I am very persistent, so everyone started listening to me.”
Ezeh earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering degree from the Federal University of Technology Owerri in Nigeria. She describes the program as one of the most difficult in the school, which ultimately motivated her.
“When I came in, people talked about how hard it is for people to make first-class in the department,” Ezeh said. “That motivated me. I said, ‘Hey, this is a record I want to break.’”
Ezeh brought that same motivation to UF. She attributes a large part of her decision to attend the university to Mark Orazem, Ph.D., a distinguished professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering.
“I was really wowed when I met Professor Orazem and some of the people in the chemical engineering department. It was really a great decision that I came to UF because UF has built me, I would say,” Ezeh said. “It was challenging at the beginning, transitioning from a bachelor’s in materials and metallurgical engineering straight to a Ph.D. in a different engineering field… I had a lot of imposter syndrome. But I didn’t give up. I am very persistent, especially when I am in it to achieve success.”
Her persistence was recognized when Ezeh received the 2023 Alec Courtelis Award for Outstanding International Ph.D. Student, which is given annually to three outstanding international graduate students.
“Getting this award felt like, ‘Hey, all the things, all the efforts that you’ve put in really paid off,’” Ezeh said.
As the president of UF’s Graduate Association of Chemical Engineering and a student mentor, Ezeh has some advice for other international students that may be following in her footsteps.
“Everyone should be courageous,” Ezeh said. “They should build focus. Don’t miss your classes, make sure you study after your classes, and ask a lot of questions.”
Ezeh has big plans for the future, hoping to work for a multinational company in either oil and gas or the manufacturing industry. In the next 10 years, she plans to be the owner of her own company, where she can do consulting work and train other engineers.