Nursing Student Determined to Improve Healthcare Back Home in Nigeria

Six students from Georgia State University’s Perimeter College have been named semifinalists for the 2025 Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The Jack Kent Cooke award is a competitive scholarship for the nation’s top two-year college students. It provides recipients with up to $55,000 per year, placing the scholarship among the largest private awards in the country for community college transfer students. The semifinalists, all Perimeter Honors College students working toward their associate degrees, are among 467 individuals selected from more than 1,600 applicants attending 212 community colleges in 43 states, plus Washington, D.C., and the Northern Mariana Islands.  The following is a profile of one of Perimeter’s semifinalists.

CLARKSTON, Ga. — Abubakar Jidda is a nursing student on a mission.

As a child in Nigeria, Jidda lost a relative to a stroke. That experience of witnessing how the inadequate healthcare of his home country contributed to the death of a loved one served as a calling. Jidda, now a student at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College, answered that call, moving to the United States from Nigeria in 2023 to attend school. His goal: to pursue a medical career as either a nurse or doctor and return to Nigeria to help improve healthcare there.

“I have a deep passion for providing quality healthcare and advancing healthcare systems, particularly in my home country, Nigeria,” said Jidda, who attends Perimeter at Clarkston Campus. “The lack of advanced medical facilities in Nigeria leads to preventable loss of lives, and my goal is to contribute to the development of more efficient healthcare systems and processes to address these challenges.”

Healthcare is indeed an issue in Jidda’s home country. According to the International Trade Administration, “healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria is still underdeveloped and lacks modern medical facilities. The country’s healthcare indicators are some of the worst in Africa.”

After graduating from high school, Jidda began the process to get a visa for the United States and to apply to college. A family friend, also from Nigeria, had been an adviser at Perimeter and encouraged Jidda to attend here. While Jidda navigated the requirements for the move, he started building up hands-on experience by working in a pharmacy.

Jidda has not determined yet if he wants to become a nurse or a doctor. He loves how personal nursing is.

“It’s very one-on-one, more direct than being a doctor, so possibly more impactful.”

Still, he wants to pick the path that will allow him to make the most impact in Nigeria.

Although Jidda has limited free time, he loves playing and watching soccer. He also works 10 hours a week as a facility attendant in the recreation center on Perimeter’s Clarkston Campus, where he was certified to administer CPR last year.

Despite his interest in athletics, Jidda doesn’t see a career in sports medicine in his future. When asked if he might like to pursue that route, he pauses for a moment and confidently replies, “I think the sports industry currently has a lot of competent people. I think my country needs me more.”

Jidda has carved out time to offer his talents through volunteering.

“Throughout my academic journey at Perimeter College, I have remained committed to maintaining a high GPA while actively participating in research and volunteer opportunities,” Jidda said. “These experiences have reinforced my determination to gain a deeper understanding of healthcare practices and to develop practical skills.”

An example of a research project he conducted was the Clarkston Disabled Community Outreach project. Jidda developed a comprehensive blueprint and master plan for a community outreach program aimed at improving accessibility and inclusion for disabled individuals. The project aimed to raise awareness about disability, reduce stigma and promote social integration through community events, workshops and advocacy initiatives. It focused on creating an environment where all individuals, especially those with disabilities, feel welcome and respected.

Jidda, who will graduate from Perimeter College in May, plans to continue his nursing education at the Atlanta Campus of Georgia State University. Receiving the Jack Kent Cooke scholarship would allow him to finish his program at Georgia State and to acquire more hands-on experience. Jidda sees the scholarship as ultimately, helping him achieve his goal of improving healthcare and spreading knowledge in Nigeria.

“One person can form a multitude of people,” he said.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation will announce its 2025 scholarship recipient in May.

Story by Christy Petterson

Photo by Bill Roa