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Med science alum helps other African Nova Scotian students discover STEM

Ariel Provo (BScMS’21) always knew she wanted to become a doctor. Nurtured by her parents, also Dal alumni, she pursued her ambition with a laser-like focus. Since 2020, she’s been working with Imhotep’s Legacy Academy, a ±«Óătv program that aims to bridge the gap, specifically in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics), for students of African heritage.
A woman sitting in a black chair with an open notebook on the arm rest.

±Ę´Ç˛őłŮ±đ»ĺ:ĚýJanuary 25, 2024

By: Mark Campbell

Inspiring more Black students to study medicine can only happen when young Black students are encouraged and supported in the STEM fields, according to Dal Medical Science alum Ariel Provo (BScMS'21). "So there is not just one or two of us in these programs; there needs to be more," she says.

But Provo adds that will only take root if students are introduced to these subjects at a young age and have access to opportunities and support to develop skills in science and math. “That’s how we will achieve the representation we need to help improve health outcomes among underserved populations, which I believe is important,” she says.

But Provo also saw that she could help change that. “I realized I had abilities that I could use to engage younger kids and get them interested in STEM,” she says.

What Provo didn’t know was how.

Inspiring a new generation

Provo found the answer she was looking for while reading an article about . This innovative ±«Óătv-based program encourages and supports Grades 6-12 students in exploring STEM.

“They were getting students engaged at a young age and encouraging that kind of lifelong interest,” she says. “I was really excited about the work they were doing and reached out to see how I could get involved.”

In 2020, Provo began working with Grade-six students to develop their interest in science and with high school students on subjects like biology, chemistry, and math. She recalls that, initially, students were quiet and didn’t answer questions. As sessions went on, she saw their confidence grow. They started participating more and their performance improved.

“This is what happens when students have free access to resources that help them succeed academically,” Provo says. “I’m really proud of them.”

Provo says participating in Imhotep's Legacy Academy was also a way to nurture and encourage students to succeed just as her parents, both Dal alumni, have done for her. Her mother, April Delorme Provo (µţ°ä´Çłľłľâ€™93), works as an executive assistant and operations manager with the Department of Human Resources at ±«Óătv, and her father, Dwayne Provo (µţ±Ę·ˇâ€™93), is the associate deputy minister of the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives.