Maxwell Opara

 

Maxwell Opara possesses all the qualities of a well-rounded student. Along with regular courses at RCC, Maxwell has taken Honors Courses and maintained a 3.51 Grade Point Average. His exemplary work is not limited to the classroom. For example, Maxwell is a member of the current RCC Student Government Association. One of three student representatives on the SGA, Maxwell is a voice for student concerns. He sees his role as “bringing student issues to the table. “

Community and volunteer service is of great importance to Maxwell. His major involvement is with Leaders of Tomorrow/Boston sponsored by the National Black MBA Association, a nationwide organization with chapters throughout the USA and Canada. The focus of the organization is on mentoring, cultural exposure, experiential learning, and college preparation. Maxwell enjoys his role in LOT/Boston which includes reviewing applications from Boston Public School students and performing various forms of follow-up with them.

Maxwell has ambitious plans for his future. After he graduates from Roxbury Community College and a four-year college, Maxwell’s plans include medical school where he intends to specialize in sports medicine. Maxwell is particularly interested in encephalopathy, a field of medicine that explores injuries to the head and concussion-related early death. In the past few years, concussions, among other injuries, are a growing concern of the National Football League. Maxwell thinks that it would “be cool to work on a team” or with individual athletes.

Because of a deep concern for the welfare of others, Maxwell wants to combine his medical study with sociology. “I like working with people,” he said. He believes that studying sociology will help him understand why people behave differently depending on the situation.  Maxwell is aware that he is a role model and that other young African Americans “look up” to him. He is inspired by that and, as a result, wants to “work with people who look like me.”

As for his own inspiration, one source is Helen Keller, the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Maxwell carries a quote by Keller with him. It says, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”