East Stroudsburg University Grad Achieves Dream of Becoming Pediatric Nurse

David Akinwande

Posted by: Elizabeth Richardson on March 15, 2023, No Comments

David Akinwande graduated from East Stroudsburg University in 2022 with a bachelor’s of science in nursing. During his time at ESU he was a fullback for ESU’s football team and was voted team captain for his senior season, served as president of ESU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, known as SAAC, and was an academic tutor for anatomy and physiology.

During the summer of 2021, Akinwande administer vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic through Lehigh Valley Health Network – including getting to vaccinate one of ESU’s athletic trainers who supported his football teammates. That same summer he had an externship with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP.) It was here he decided he wanted to become a pediatric nurse.

Akinwande was the recipient of several scholarships that helped make his academic journey possible. These scholarships, ESU’s nursing faculty, and the desire to impact patients and their families in positive ways helped Akinwande’s dreams come true. He is now a full-time registered nurse at CHOP.

“ESU gave me the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and the confidence to work at one of the most prestigious children’s hospitals in the country. I built relationships with faculty and my peers that are so helpful, have enabled me to be in my dream job and to develop as a registered nurse,” Akinwande said.