The path from Nigeria to a future in medicine in the U.S.

Get to know Sade Adeojo and how she achieved her childhood dream with Purdue Global.

Sade Adeojo moved from Nigeria to the U.S. in 1996. From working two jobs to earning a Purdue Global degree, Adeojo’s story is one of resilience and determination, fueled by her passion to help others.  

Growing up in Nigeria, Sade always had one goal in mind — to become a doctor.  

“I always wanted to be in the medical field. It’s always been my passion,” she says.  

As she grew into a young adult, her goal remained the same. In Nigeria, she took some college classes in science technology, which proved to be only her first step in higher education. What she didn’t know at the time is that with Purdue Global’s support, she would go on to earn her nurse practitioner certificate.  

“Ever since I was in elementary school, I have always told myself, ‘I’m going to be a doctor,’” she says.

Ever since I was in elementary school, I was always telling myself, ‘I’m going to be a doctor.’

Sade Adeojo
Doctor of Nursing Practice, Purdue Global ’18

From Nigeria to New York 

When Adeojo decided to move to the United States in 1996, she knew it would take a lot of hard work to reach that goal of becoming a doctor. In New York, she was putting in long hours working two jobs as a cashier at a 99 cent store and Burger King. The hope of going back to school kept her going during the long days and nights working for minimum wage. And the whole time, she was also busy teaching herself how to live in an entirely new country.  

“When I first came to this country, it was a challenge for me to navigate,” she says. “I was able to overcome that culture shock and embark on my academic journey, and I love it here.” 

After taking the time to acclimate to her new home, she was ready to go back to school. Not quite sure where to start, she took the first step toward medical school by earning her bachelor’s degree in biology. After she got married and became a mom, she didn’t want to overburden herself by going right into medical school, so she put her dreams on hold. She chose instead to join the medical field by becoming a nurse. That allowed her to keep that same passion for helping others and give her family the best version of herself. 

In 2013, after years of working as a bedside nurse, Adeojo was looking for a way to open a new door in the medical field. Her friend told her about Purdue Global’s family nurse practitioner certificate. This was a chance for her to use her years of experience as a nurse to move forward. She graduated from the program two years later but didn’t want to stop there. Her thirst for learning had barely been quenched and, after all, that childhood dream of becoming a doctor hadn’t disappeared yet. That original goal was still lingering in her mind and, with Purdue Global, she finally realized it wasn’t a distant wish. It was possible.  

“In 2016, not long after I graduated, I wanted to go back. My goal was always to become a doctor, and at Purdue Global, I saw that it was an option for me,” she says.  

She jumped right back into school, earning her doctor of nursing practice (DNP) from Purdue Global. And by 2018, she had the doctorate she had always wanted.

Let nothing stop you from going to school and becoming the best you can be. I encourage people to always move forward.

Sade Adeojo Doctor of Nursing Practice, Purdue Global ’18

Life after earning her DNP 

With her DNP finally in hand, Adeojo knew she could start enacting real change in people’s lives. She now works in Pennsylvania as a family nurse practitioner. She’s grateful for how Purdue Global prepared her for this next big step.  

“Purdue Global provided the background to be able to start my practice as a nurse practitioner and to be able to care for my patients,” she says. “I learned a lot and it prepared me for what I’m doing now.” 

She says her favorite part of her job is being able to recognize the medical problem a patient is having, give them a treatment plan and, when they come back to her, see them happy and healthy. Nothing makes her happier than noticing her patients’ lives have improved in some way after she treats them.  

“I love the ability to take care of my patients. When people come back and tell me I helped them or I see a review that says how knowledgeable I am, that makes me so happy,” she says. 

But as her number of patients grew, Adeojo realized she needed to offer a new kind of care. She noticed that many of her patients needed psychiatric help, which, with her current skill set, she couldn’t offer. She wished she could help them all in one place, without having to refer them to another clinic. She became determined to earn her psychiatric certification so that instead of referring those patients to someone else, she could help them immediately.  

“I started seeing patients that had medical needs, but some of them, I noticed that they have psych issues as well,” Adeojo says. “I said to myself, ‘Let me just go back to school and get my psych certification so that instead of referring those patients, I can see them in my clinic.’” 

For a lot of her patients, finding another clinic to treat mental health needs added stress and Adeojo wanted to be able to help. She wanted to be sure that people had access to the same quality of psychiatric care as they had with medical care. Once again, she went back to Purdue Global.  

With her postgraduate psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner certificate, she’s excited that she can now expand her clinic to offer additional services.  

“It is very important to me because I love to take care of my patients. It has always been my passion,” she says, beaming with joy. “I love what I do in the medical field, and I see that a lot of people need help mentally and emotionally as well. I know I have what it takes to be able to provide that kind of care that they need.” 

A legacy of education 

Beyond her patients and her practice, Adeojo’s educational journey is also important in the paths of people closer to home.   

Taking inspiration from her mom, Adeojo’s daughter graduated from her undergraduate program and was shortly thereafter admitted to a doctorate of psychology program. In fact, two of her three kids have dreams of becoming doctors.  

As she’s talking about her children, anyone can tell how much it means to her to see her kids inspired by her passion for education and helping others.  

“They see their mom graduating at this age and think, ‘If Mom can do it, I can do it,’” says Adeojo, smiling ear to ear.  

“My family was very happy and very supportive of me when I decided to go back to school for more education,” she says. Her husband and kids couldn’t be prouder, but Adeojo says she wishes her dad was here to see this moment.  

Her father, who passed away before she graduated high school, always told her to never stop learning. So, she kept his words close to her heart: Never stop learning. This is the legacy of learning that stays alive within her and she is proud to pass on to her kids. 

“My dad’s legacy was education, so anywhere he is today, I know he would be so proud of me.” 

The dream that became reality 

As she thinks about her achievements since moving to the United States in 1996, Adeojo emphasizes the importance of persevering through life’s biggest challenges.  

“Never give up. Anything is possible,” she says. “Look what I have accomplished at my age!” 

“I was working at Burger King. I was working at a 99 cent store. And now I have a doctoral degree. I am able to practice on my own. So, let nothing stop you from going to school and becoming the best you can be. I encourage people to always move forward,” she says. 

Beyond her certificates and degree, she says she is always learning from her family and from her patients. And she is overjoyed to be able to positively impact lives every day as a nurse practitioner. 

“I feel fulfilled. I feel happy. This was my goal in life, and I’ve achieved it,” she says.  

Adeojo is grateful to her support system for what she has achieved. Her faith, in particular, played an essential role in the confidence she needed to persist. 

“My husband is very supportive throughout my educational journey, and I can’t thank him enough. Above all, these achievements in life were made possible through the help of God. He has destined me for what I am today, and I am grateful to my maker for all that he has helped to accomplish.”