Name: Prince
Hometown: Fayetteville
Major: Nursing

When Uche Prince Ike reveals the fact that he is only nineteen years old, it seems incredible. Mature beyond his years, he is cool and confident, well-versed on social issues and surprisingly insightful about his future. Born and reared in Nigeria until he was five years old, “Prince” is a nursing student in his junior year at Fayetteville State University.

Selecting FSU as the post-secondary institution where he would pursue his bachelor’s degree did not involve difficult decision-making. He explains, “I earned a full academic scholarship to attend FSU, and that has really helped.  I was an athlete in high school, but with an academic scholarship I knew I would be able to focus on my school work.”

Choosing his major was no tough task for this honors student either. The Jack Britt alumnus continues, “I decided to major in nursing because I enjoyed my clinical experience through Allied Health when I was in high school.  It gives me pleasure to deliver care to people that can’t take care of themselves. For instance, I now love working with elderly people although there was a time when I did not understand the impact of helping our seniors.”

Thus far, Prince has had no regrets about his choices and is certain fate has placed him where he needs to be. He reflects, “I worked hard in high school, but at times I wanted to give up because I didn’t think it would do me any good. But my hard work paid off, and since I’ve been at FSU, I have been able to network with students, faculty and staff. I’ve also formed at least three friendships that I know will last a lifetime.”

When he completes his studies at FSU, Prince will be searching for graduate programs in the same field.  He plans to carry on in his pathway to higher education before “life” presents itself in the form of a family and a demanding career. He reasons, “I want to earn my master’s degree and eventually my doctorate, so I want to be finished with my education before I do anything else.”

But one thing he will commit to is a visit to his native land. Prince has been so immersed in his studies that he has not been able to return to Nigeria.

“I have not been back to Nigeria since we left when I was five years old, so I definitely want to travel there next summer. In Nigeria, we lived in a close-knit community where we had strict schooling and everybody knew each other. It was beautiful. Outside of the cities, there were villages with plenty of flowers, greenery and big, giant houses.”
 
While he will always keep memories of Nigeria close to his heart, Prince won’t forget about FSU and Fayetteville, and how both played a significant role in his growth from early childhood to the beginnings of manhood.

Sharing lifetime lessons learned not only as a scholarship student but also as an intern who assists the staff in Institutional Advancement with raising funds for the university, he expresses, “I will always be indebted to the university because I received a full scholarship to attend. It is also important to give back to the community because it is made up of the people who shaped you and helped you become who you are. One day, I hope to be in the position to give somebody else the same chances I was given.”