Omolayo Umaru

Director of Representative to External Organizations

About Me: Hello! I come from a country in Africa called Nigeria “the giant of Africa”. I have a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree, and practiced as a pharmacist for several years. Later on I obtained a Masters in Clinical Pharmacy, and then went on to obtain a Doctor of Pharmacy degree as well. Thereafter, I completed a 4-year Fellowship, and became a Consultant Clinical Pharmacist. Currently, I am a 2nd year PhD student in Social & Administrative Pharmacy (SAPH) here at the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities); and I am pursuing a Minor in Business Management as well. In the past, I have served on several committees, at both institutional and state-levels; and have had to liaise with various organizations on various projects/activities; and thereby have learned the art of communication and people-skills.My Responsibilities: As the Director of Representative to external organizations, I will be responsible for liaising with other organizations or bodies within and outside the U of M, on matters that concern international graduate students of the university in general; and I am committed to playing my part to ensure that we achieve our goals for this unique graduate student body. Why I'm Passionate About CIGS: Indeed, though we have a very large graduate student body represented by COGS, yet I have observed, and do believe that international students in particular, have peculiar needs -  Such gaps will need to be reviewed, and addressed on a continual basis – and hence my passion for CIGS.Key Achievements:
  • Currently, I am a student-mentor for Black & Black-identifying students of the College of Pharmacy.
  • I currently have two journal publications, and am very close to adding two more.
  • I just recently bagged two Fellowship awards from my program (SAPH) aon the same day.
Fun Facts:
  • I am a wife – yes, and also a mom. For hobbies, I enjoy reading and watching biographies, writing, thinking up research-ideas, traveling, meeting people, and making beads.
Connect with Me:
  • umaru002@umn.edu