Catchin' Up with a Cookie: Ernest Dimbo

ERNEST DIMBO

2016 Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, Boston University; 2020 Graduate Scholar, University of Cambridge

I am an aspiring physician with a passion for advocacy, public health and policy. My journey started at Essex County College before transferring to Boston University where I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. In my quest to better understand the policies and forces influencing the health of people, I took a different step pursing a Master’s degree in Sociology with an emphasis on marginalized and excluded groups at the University of Cambridge. Outside of academics, I enjoy memes, music, shows and movies a bit too much (it’s an addiction at this point). Also, I don’t eat mangoes or sea food – there are some funny childhood stories you should ask me about if we ever converse.

Also, I am Nigerian, and probably the loudest and try-hard funniest person in any room. I do stand-up comedy and enjoy hosting gatherings in my free time.

What does being a Cooke Scholar mean to you?

Being a Cooke Scholar means everything. It means never being truly alone with the support from the community is endless. Wherever you go, whatever city you visit, whatever field you choose to venture into; you are never alone. The diversity of opinions, ideas, knowledge will never have you feeling like your aspirations, dreams, or visions are too crazy to be achieved. Beyond that, I think philosophically, being around the members of our Cooke Scholar community indirectly fosters this optimistic view that makes you feel like no obstacle is insurmountable - like you can stop the earth from spinning on its axis, even if it is only for a second. It’s the best feeling ever!

From left to right: Shawn Zamani, Nada Attia, Brendan Terry, and Ernest Dimbo in front of King's College Chapel

Tell us about a memorable moment while in undergrad or graduate school.

Off the top of my head, I do not think I can pinpoint the most memorable memory while in school since I have had too many memorable moments to put one above the others. But I will share a recent memory as a Cooke Graduate Scholar at the University of Cambridge in the UK. Despite finding myself in a new country while the COVID-19 pandemic raged on, I was able to connect and build great relationships with a few people, including some other Cooke Scholars; namely Brendan Terry and Nada Attia. We relied on each other throughout the year not just for academic support but also emotional support, and it made all the difference for us transplants. Undoubtedly, our movie nights were the highlights!

What is one thing you did to help you transition to your first year out of college?

I think the first year out of college for most graduates is a rough time as the transition can be brutal. You go from a half adult to a full adult with a lot of responsibilities. To help manage the day-to-day, you have to stay organized and ahead. Trust me, it does help. Less talked about and more crucial to mental and emotional health is the trimming down of your social circle. You go from being acquainted to close to a hundred friends and colleagues to having a few friends in the same city and heavily relying on your work colleagues for social connections. The dynamics of your relationships change. You must actively work to create time and maintain relationships. More than anything, be open to meeting new people and preserve the health of relationships you have.

Portland Bill Lighthouse in Isle of Portland, Dorset, England

What was the last book you read or movie/show you watched that you really enjoyed and highly recommend?

I watch too much TV and too many shows - quite frankly, an unhealthy amount. I watch everything from romantic comedy to science fiction, thrillers to anime. (Also, do you think it is weird that I laugh like half the time while watching horror movies?). One show I am quite fixated on at the moment is Y: The Last Man on FX. It is an adaptation of the science fiction comic book series Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. Not to give too many spoilers, but the story is based on a post-apocalyptic world where all organisms with a Y chromosome mysteriously die, except a man and his monkey. Now this man, his monkey, alongside Agent 355 and a geneticist from Harvard, are on the critical top-secret mission from a crumbling US government to understand why one man and his monkey survived, and if they hold the key to prevent the human race from being extinct. A good show indeed.

P.S. I think all streaming platforms should have a speed-up button like Netflix and YouTube that allows you to watch shows at 1.5 times the speed because we have so much content to go through here!

Cooke Scholars in Boston at a CORP outreach engagement at Bunker Hill Community College

If you were to create your own cookie, what would it consist of and what name would you give it?

I have never solo baked before, so this is a disaster waiting to happen. In every baking session my job has always been The Mixer (sounds like a Denzel Washington movie or a John Grisham novel). But if I am to create my own cookie, I think my close to perfect cookie – since it would be criminal to introduce chicken into a cookie – would have to involve coupling macadamia nuts and M&M pieces into macaroons and then deep frying it. I am not even sure if this cookie would be socially acceptable or even feasible, but I believe a Cooke Scholar reading this WILL FIND A WAY. I will probably name it something like “one bite, please” for obvious health reasons.