Howard empowers you to speak more, to do more, and therefore be more.”

In her Salisbury, North Carolina high school, Chidera Dimkpa was focused on her academic work, rarely stepping into the limelight unless it had to do with group assignments or classroom projects. That changed once she got to Howard. Now, the graduating computer information systems major exudes leadership and is ready for new challenges. 

“I’ve always been an academic person, so obviously I was always chasing the thing that most stimulated my brain,” said Dimkpa. “But Howard really brought the culture to academics. I’m learning in a space where I know I’m not being set up for failure based on how I look. It made me really comfortable to go and explore different opportunities. And Howard is overflowing with opportunities.”

As a computer information systems major in Howard’s School of Business, Dimkpa has spent much of her time at Howard building business systems. She has worked hard to understand design structures, such as how an idea goes from concept to production. Her studies have spanned the range of business operations, from supply chain management to prototyping to product development to commercial distribution. Her growing expertise in the process of innovation and service delivery has served her well, not just on the path to graduation, but as a servant leader as well. 

She appreciates the cohort atmosphere among her peers. In addition, she has taken full advantage of the school’s aggressive approach to providing career opportunities. Her stellar credentials landed her internships with AEA Investors in New York and with Haveli Investments, a private equity firm in Texas that invests in high-quality technology companies. After graduation, she’ll join Haveli full time. It is the perfect combination of her academic training, skills, and interests.

Dimkpa found a passion in helping other students. She wanted to help them find resources and learn how to succeed at Howard. That led her to seek various leadership positions where she could make a difference. Dimkpa is the president of the Howard University School of Business Student Council and the senior class representative for the School of Business’ Honors Program. During her junior year, she was a member of the Howard University Student Association Student Senate and participated in numerous volunteer and community service programs. As a senator, she helped organize student advocacy on Capitol Hill and allocate funds to student clubs and organizations. She also chaired the Senate’s Constitution committee, where she worked to ensure that legislation and initiatives fit within the bounds of HUSA’s governing document. It helped her understand how change is sometimes first made with the words in important documents. 

“The biggest thing about Howard is that  I’ve been able to give and get back,” she said. “It provides me the opportunity to do both.” 

As president of the School of Business Student Council, she has led a team that has focused on a number of areas of growing importance, including business ownership. They helped establish an entrepreneurship incubator program, where budding entrepreneurs can participate in a training over several weeks, learning the fundamentals of business ownership from faculty, established business leaders, and other subject matter experts. She and her peers have also worked to establish a “serenity room” in the School of Business to help provide stress relief and protect students’ mental health, and have worked in the community to lead initiatives around food insecurity and clothing, including providing coats to local middle schoolers.

Dimkpa was definitely looking for a change when she came to Howard. She feels like the university has a lot of hidden gems. At any given moment, she said, you could be presented with a new opportunity. It gives students a chance to find their unique niches in a way that fulfills them. 

There is a feeling of competitiveness among the students, however, that can lead to feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. During Dimkpa’s journey, she had to come to terms with feelings that she wasn’t doing enough and stop comparing herself to other people. She has overcome the urge to try to do everything at once and instead focuses on what she does well and where she can make a difference. 

“Howard has made me think on my feet,” she said. “And also learn how to pivot."

After she completes the “long walk” to Commencement on the Yard, she’ll definitely miss the friends that have pushed her to always be better. Howard, she said, has prepared her well to take on the world and be a change maker. In particular, it has given her the confidence to navigate roadblocks, overcome obstacles, and piece together solutions. It has pushed her to be her best self.

“Howard empowers you to speak more, to do more, and therefore be more,” she said.