Marian Taiwo is majoring in biological sciences with a minor in chemistry. She plans to attend medical school to become a family phisician. Taiwo has been selected as class representative for NDSU commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 15 at the Fargodome.
NDSU student-athlete Marian Taiwo says her studies at NDSU have put her on a career path of helping others; she plans to attend medical school to become a family physician.
Taiwo, who is majoring in biological sciences with a minor in chemistry, has been selected as class representative for NDSU commencement ceremonies, scheduled for Saturday, May 15, at the Fargodome.
She will address her fellow graduates during the 2 p.m. event for the College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources; College of Business; College of Health Professions; and College of Science and Mathematics.
“I will discuss the importance of overcoming adversity and adapting to changes in our lives,” said Taiwo, who is from Ottawa, Canada. “The message I want to get across is that life is filled with ups and downs; with the help of people around us, we can be resilient.”
That’s especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My education at NDSU taught me how to solve problems, both from an academic standpoint and non-academically,” Taiwo said. “It's taught me important scientific knowledge that is key to my future career in medicine. Also, I've learned how to collaborate with different kinds of people – the value of teamwork will help me in my career and my relationships in life.”
Teamwork comes naturally to Taiwo because she came to NDSU on a full-ride athletic scholarship to play on the NDSU women’s soccer team. Her outstanding academic standing led to being named three times to the Summit League Academic Honor Roll, and she was selected twice for the Summit League Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence.
She also was named a Border States Electric Student-Athlete of the Week on March 2, 2021, after she scored three goals against the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
“What I like most about my time at NDSU is the relationships that I built here with other students,” Taiwo said. “The NDSU faculty and staff helped me academically by going above and beyond class time, to help me get clarity on subject matter or on assignments. They made the effort to get to know me on a personal level, which helped me develop trusting relationships with many of them.”
Taiwo was a research assistant in the NDSU Department of Biological Sciences and was the recipient of the Academic and Cultural Sharing Scholarship.
“I would recommend NDSU to prospective students because the facilities and professors are great here, and the campus community is welcoming to everyone,” she said. “NDSU has so many opportunities – you can find something you love.”
She is the daughter of Alice and Emmanuel Taiwo.
