Women Who Reign: Victoria Chibuogu Nneji

“I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.” — Louise Hay
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Tell us about yourself along with a fun fact!
I was born in Lagos, Nigeria and raised in the Carolinas, USA. I had my first job in middle school as a computational science intern and connected with a mentor at the firm who taught me how to build my first home computer. This experience sparked a passion for technology, education and the difference that could have on our lives. I did not know about Columbia University until two months before the deadline in my senior year when I received a letter inviting me to visit their engineering school. I almost did not respond until I realized it would be a free trip to New York City. Thank God! Stepping onto campus, I felt the energy and was convinced. A lot of experiences I have had are like this: not knowing exactly where my efforts would take me. That is how I ended up earning over $1 Million in scholarships, spent my summer before college delving into web app development at Google, and my final winter break of college with an awesome group of fellow engineers at Square. By age 22, I earned a Master of Engineering Management and began pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Duke University’s new Robotics Center, researching system design for human interaction with autonomous machines.

What # would define your life journey?
#grace

Favorite website / app:
Duolingo — currently learning Portuguese and polishing my German language skills with two lessons a day! Sim, menina or should I say Ja, Mädchen!

Someone who inspires you and knowledge they have imparted (if any):
My mother inspires me and constantly reminds me through her actions and words that we are not given the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Song that makes you want to dance:
Elle Varner — Only Wanna Give It To You ft. J. Cole