Diamond Nwaeze has joined the UMES Extension team as a 4-H STEM educator for the lower Eastern Shore. A native of Silver Spring, Maryland, she is no stranger to the university.
Nwaeze is a UMES alum graduating in 2017 with a bachelor’s in biology. During her undergraduate experience, she worked as a general research assistant in Dr. Victoria Volkis’ lab studying various applications and the phytochemical content of Aronia melanocarpa.
“I’ve always been interested in human biology and natural processes, but after my mother passed away from breast cancer in 2016, I wanted to study preventative health via horticulture and nutrition,” Nwaeze said.
Nwaeze also lent her talents to serving as the Campus Compact Mid-Atlantic AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America program manager for UMES from 2017-19. In that endeavor, she helped garner over $20,000 in in-kind donations and grants. She also worked to create community partnerships that benefited both the university and greater Delmarva with organizations such as the Rotary Club of Salisbury, the Garland Hayward Youth Center and the Seton Center.
CCMA AmeriCorps VISTA members “build capacity in nonprofit organizations and public agencies to help them more effectively generate the commitment of private sector resources, encourage volunteer service at the local level and empower individuals and communities.” The idea for VISTA was the brainchild of President John F. Kennedy in 1965 as a national service program to help alleviate poverty.
In addition to biology, her interests also lie in education, nutrition and public health.
“At UMES Extension, we are looking forward to Diamond’s participation in the 4-H STEM programs because she has a contagious enthusiasm and she has shown a dedication to community youth in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties,” said Dr. E. Nelson Escobar, associate dean and associate administrator for UMES Extension. “We welcome her and will support her STEM program’s design, planning and implementation.”
“I’m looking forward to guiding youth in learning new ways to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics along with agriculture, while also preparing them for higher learning by assisting them in becoming well-rounded students,” Nwaeze said.
Gail Stephens, agricultural communications and media associate, School of Agricultural & Natural Sciences, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 410-621-3850, gcstephens@umes.edu.
Photo by Todd Dudek, agricultural communications, UMES Extension, tdudek@umes.edu
