CCRI student Precious Lijofi earns 2023 New Century Transfer Scholarship

March 10, 2023

Community College of Rhode Island sophomore and Providence, RI, resident Precious Lijofi has been named a 2023 New Century Transfer Scholar and will receive a $2,250 scholarship.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Lijofi is a member of CCRI’s Phi Theta Kappa – the international honor society for two-year colleges – Pi Omicron chapter, a Rhode Island Promise scholar, and a General Studies major with a concentration in Cellular & Molecular Biology. She is also a General Chemistry and Math tutor for CCRI’s Student Success Center.

As part of the college’s Joint Admissions Agreement (JAA) program, the 20-year-old Lijofi will graduate in May and transfer to the University of Rhode Island to pursue a career as an Emergency Medicine Physician.

New Century Transfer Scholars are selected based on their academic accomplishments, leadership, activities, and how they extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom. More than 2,400 students were nominated from more than 1,300 college campuses across the country with one winner selected from each state.

Lijofi began the New Century Transfer Scholar application process in October and was pleasantly surprised when she heard the good news while working her day shift at the Warwick Mall Macy’s department store.

“I was shocked,” Lijofi said. “At first, I wasn’t sure it was real. I’m very thankful for my professors, whom I leaned on a lot during this process, and my advisors for their help throughout this journey. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given since enrolling at CCRI.”

The oldest of four children in her family, Lijofi moved from Nigeria to the United States with her mother and three siblings in 2018 as a high school sophomore. She attended North Providence High School and developed an interest in the healthcare industry while observing doctors nurse her aunt back to health following a major surgical procedure. Her late uncle also practiced Family Medicine and instilled in her the desire to enter this challenging, yet rewarding, field.

At CCRI, Lijofi took advantage of the many resources the college has to offer, including Tutoring, Advising, and the Writing Center, the latter which helped tremendously with her written essays during the New Century Transfer Scholar application process.

“Coming to CCRI was incredibly helpful to me in my academic journey,” Lijofi said. “The help I received here and the growth I’ve endured these past two years wouldn’t have been possible if I immediately enrolled in a four-year college. Everything from the extra help from professors to the office hours after class, CCRI has been amazing. I’m glad I started here.”

The New Century Transfer Scholar program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Phi Theta Kappa, and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at two-year colleges and helping them grow as scholars and leaders. PTK is made up of more than 3.8 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges.

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