Posted on: April 17, 2025; Updated on: April 17, 2025
Ridha Fatima, a biochemistry and molecular biology major in the Honors College, says
her experiences as a service-minded leader at the University of South Carolina will
inform her career as a physician and health care advocate.
“Growing up in Columbia, I am grateful for the community that has raised me, and I
have always been passionate about giving back,” she says. “Being involved in service
reminds me of the individuals that make up our community and their different needs.”
Fatima is the recipient of the Steven N. Swanger Leadership Award, given by Omicron
Delta Kappa. She has worked at the leadership organization as service chair, organizing
more than 50 events in the Columbia area.
“One of my most impactful experiences was with Share One Love, where students connect
with kids from the Department of Juvenile Justice through sports,” Fatima says. “Once,
one of the kids sat by the sidelines, unwilling to participate. I began to strike
up a conversation with him. Eventually, he brought out a deck of cards, and as we
played, we talked about everything from our favorite movies to future plans.”
She also served as the pre-med chair for Alpha Epsilon Delta and has worked with the
Aspiring Pre-Health Student Mentoring Initiative, which encourages high school students
to pursue careers in health fields.
“As a Columbia high school graduate, I remember my fear thinking about my future career
goals,” she says. “Walking into my first visit, I saw the same concerns reflected
in the high school students’ eyes. As I continued to share my experiences and answer
questions, I saw their shoulders relax and some of the tension dissipate. This experience
made me glad to cocreate a new campus initiative to provide mentorship to the next
generation of students.”
“These experiences have instilled in me a passion I plan to carry throughout my life.
As a physician, I look forward to advocating for patients and working with community
members to advance care for all.”
Fatima has served in several positions with Garnet & Black magazine, including as
managing editor.
“I realized my interest in journalism through the Garnet & Black magazine,” she says.
“When I was approved to write on experiences of USC students who wear hijabs, I was
ecstatic. I spent hours organizing my thoughts and interviewing students. When my
article was published, I was proud to share my insights with a larger audience and
find my own voice. This inspired me to uplift others, and I continued to write four
articles and edit over 25 pieces centering on different communities, such as the Gullah
Geechee, to give others a platform.”
Fatima has spent four years working in School of Medicine Columbia professor Holly
LaVoie’s lab, researching women’s reproductive and cardiovascular health, in particular
postpartum cardiomyopathy. The research is her senior thesis.
“Through participating in this lab, I have realized that research requires dedication
and perseverance,” she says. “From breaking glassware to spending too much time on
a procedure when I first began, I often left the lab feeling embarrassed and defeated.
However, my research mentor reminded me that conducting research is not a linear process,
and after much practice I was soon able to excel and learn several techniques while
also gaining the necessary skills to present my work.”
Fatima plans to carry her USC research, leadership and service experiences into her
career.
“These experiences have instilled in me a passion I plan to carry throughout my life,”
she says. “As a physician, I look forward to advocating for patients and working with
community members to advance care for all.”