The story of this week’s guest Ogonna Nnamani begins when her parents arrived in Normal, IL to become students after leaving Nigeria during its civil war.  Following the birth of Ogonna, they decided to stay to ensure that she and her siblings received a good education.  Little did they know she would become a four-time All American volleyball player, winner of national championships, a Stanford graduate, the 2005 Honda Cup winner and now on a new career path to become a surgeon. Ogonna shares the lessons her parents, coaches and teammates taught her throughout this journey. She shares what it took for the USA Olympic team to win a silver and what the transferrable skills are from being an athlete to being an aspiring surgeon. Ogonna shares her observations about women of color in medicine; about the civil and racial unrest and the effect of the COVID 19 pandemic. She cites the advantages athletes have because they are natural leaders who are action driven. Ogonna’s story is one of persistence after she began spending more time in the nurse’s office than at recess because of her asthma. Citing the importance of role models, Ogonna shares the effect Jackie Joyner Kersee, also prone to asthma attacks, had on her aspirations to become an athlete.

Podcast length: 52 mins

Host: Chris Voelz.

A co-production with WiSP Sports.

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