Amanda Nnodim ’25

Furman senior Amanda Nnodim grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, but her story bridges continents. With roots in Nigeria and formative years spent there during middle and high school, Amanda brings a broad perspective to everything she does. “I claim both,” she said. “Coming back to Greenville, I had to re-acclimate – but Furman made that transition meaningful.”

Now a health sciences major on a physician’s assistant track, Amanda didn’t arrive at Furman with a fixed plan. She thought she might dive into biology and business simultaneously, but after her first accounting class, she knew that wasn’t what she was looking for. It wasn’t until a health sciences course that things clicked.

“I fell in love with it,” she said. “One of the things I knew I would love about Furman was having the flexibility to explore, and it has been all of that and more.”

Her long-term goal? To become a physician assistant specializing in obstetrics, combining her passion for medicine with her drive for patient advocacy.

“I want to close maternal health disparities and bring life into the world – literally and figuratively,” Nnodim said.

Amanda’s impact goes far beyond the classroom. She’s held leadership roles throughout Furman University including with Housing and Residence Life, the Pathways Program as a peer mentor, as vice president of administration and events with the Student Diversity Council, and with her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

“Everything I’ve done here has been about impact,” she said. “How can I make it easier for the next student coming behind me? How can I be a torch for someone else’s life?”

From volunteering in hospice care to interning with sustainability organizations and connecting with alumni at The Woodlands at Furman, Amanda has fully embraced Furman’s experiential learning opportunities. She’s also a proud recipient of the Joseph Vaughn Scholarship, which she says gave her “a foundation without the financial burden,” and received the Harry B. Schucker Leadership Award.

Before applying to PA school, Nnodim plans to work in labor and delivery in Dallas to earn the patient hours needed for her next academic and professional step. In the meantime, she’s using her last weeks at Furman as an opportunity to reflect on the gratitude she has for everyone who has helped her to this point.

“Furman helped me grow socially, academically, spiritually,” she said. “It’s not just a college – it’s a community that believes in you.”