Perimeter Graduate and State Farm Scholar Balances Studies and Caretaking Responsibilities

DECATUR, Ga.— Paris “Chichi” Onyeokoro wants to be a nurse. The Perimeter College student’s life experiences have certainly given her more insight into the profession than many students her age.

One of 10 State Farm Scholars graduating in May, Onyeokoro, 19, has balanced her academics with caring for her ill mother and father, running a household and working part time as a caretaker for developmentally disabled individuals. It’s a load she has shouldered willingly, but it hasn’t always been easy.

On May 5, Onyeokoro will graduate during the Perimeter College Commencement with an associate degree in health sciences.

Her graduation will be a testament to her late mother, she said.

“My mom was born and raised in Nigeria and came here in the early 2000s, and she really valued education and pushed me,” Onyeokoro said. “She knew that the U.S. was a place for opportunities. She was so happy that I was a State Farm Scholar.”

When she was in the 10^th grade, Onyeokoro’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. Her father was also in poor health and unable to care for his wife.

Onyeokoro stepped up, becoming her mother’s primary caretaker — all while juggling her high school studies at Arabia Mountain High School and helping support her younger brother.

When it came time to apply for college she knew exactly where she wanted to go.

“From the beginning, I knew I wanted to go to a community college first,” she said. “My TRIO adviser in high school told me about the State Farm Scholarship. at Perimeter College.”

She enrolled in the summer Perimeter Academy program in 2021, which helps students get a head start on their studies. She also was named a State Farm Scholar during this period, helping ease her worries about paying for college.

Her mother’s death in October 2022 was devastating but made her more determined to follow her dream of becoming a nurse.

“I always wanted to go into nursing, and being my mother’s caretaker made me realize how important it is to have good nurses and caretakers,” she said. “I know it’s not an easy job.”

Onyeokoro balanced her work and studies and strived to give her younger brother stability so he could enjoy his high school years without worry.

“I want him to be happy, so I worked so he could go to prom and have his senior trip,” she said.

Her brother will graduate from high school in May and will attend Perimeter College this fall.

Onyeokoro is coming to Georgia State’s Atlanta Campus this fall where she plans to apply for nursing school.

Story by Rebecca Rakoczy

Photo by Bill Roa