SIUE’s Dr. Ampadu Extols Honorees at Women’s Business Leaders Brunch
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Jerrica Ampadu, PhD, served up plenty of praise, supplied words of encouragement and offered motivation to persevere during the third annual Missouri Minority Business Development Agency's (MBDA) Tribute to Women Business Leaders brunch held Saturday, March 25 at the Marriott-St. Louis Grand Hotel in St. Louis.
“I wanted the awardees being recognized to really feel empowered and applauded, because this was a celebration for women,” said Ampadu, RN, CCP, associate professor, and director of the SIUE SON’s WE CARE Clinic in East St. Louis. She is also coordinator for diversity for the SON and president of the SIUE Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA).
“I also wanted those in the audience to acknowledge and get some understanding of what it’s like to be a woman and have to navigate spaces that were never intended for us,” added the keynote speaker.
When one woman forges a path forward, she becomes the inspiration and motivation for generations of women who will come after her, according to Ampadu.
Ampadu, a native of East St. Louis and graduate of Lincoln Senior High School, shared her college and career journey that began when she first came to SIUE in 1993.
“During my experiences as an undergraduate, I had a Black woman who was my mentor,” she shared. “She provided me space and supported me, especially when times were hard. She also impressed upon me the need to continue my education.”
Now, it has become part of Ampadu’s mission, who said she has worked extremely hard throughout her college and professional life, to support students.
“I want to ensure that students,” she continued, “especially those who look like me and even those students who might be different from the norm, that they can not only achieve, but excel.”
Ampadu is featured on the cover of the March/April2023 edition of the Missouri MBDA magazine, “huami.”
The WE CARE Clinic provides primary patient care on the SIUE East St. Louis Higher Education Campus, located on campus in Building D. Our staff includes an advanced Nurse Practitioner, a collaborating physician, a licensed clinical social worker, certified health coaches and a doctorally prepared pharmacist. All of our providers provide full services to our diverse clients who reside in the metro-east and surrounding communities.
Photo:
Jerrica Ampadu, PhD, RN, CCP, associate professor, and director of the SIUE SON’s WE CARE Clinic in East St. Louis.
