When clinical epidemiology PhD fall graduate Aswathy Geetha Manukumar arrived at Memorial University in 2022, she had no research experience to speak of.
That was just one more obstacle in a long line of obstacles she surmounted on her academic journey, which culminates this week during convocation ceremonies at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre.
Limited resources
That journey began in Kerala, in southern India, where Ms. Geetha Manukumar grew up in a family with limited resources.
“I had to rely on scholarships to study,” she said. “The first came when I was 10 years old, to one of the best schools in India. It was a boarding school, so I had to move away to attend it.”
In 10th grade, she received an international fellowship to study in England for her last two years.
But when partial scholarships made further studies abroad unaffordable, she returned home for a gap year while seeking new funding.
Low point
“Gap year was a foreign concept in India, especially in a village like mine,” she said. “They said things like, ‘You went to the U.K. and now you are sitting at home doing nothing.’”
Then her father had a heart attack.
“People said it was because of me — I was a failure and a disappointment to my town and my family. I was barely 18 years old, and it was the lowest point in my life.”
Determined to continue her studies, Ms. Geetha Manukumar contacted more than 50 organizations looking for support.
Eventually, she was admitted to a more affordable university in northern India, which provided her with a partial scholarship.
Her local bank provided the remainder as a loan, but that didn’t cover food and personal needs.
One day in her second year, her loan was delayed, and sickness prevented her from working for a month. She had no money for food. She broke down.
Her teachers and classmates responded by collecting money and buying her groceries.
She later found a sponsor who helped her with expenses, and she obtained additional scholarships.
She was able to finish her studies.
International support
Her determination paid off: she was accepted into Memorial University’s clinical epidemiology diploma program.
Soon after arriving, she began contacting Faculty of Medicine researchers for a potential master’s supervisor.
“[Memorial University] didn’t just change my life; it changed my family’s life.”
“I knew I was good at studying, but I wanted to do research,” said Ms. Geetha Manukumar. “I was afraid nobody would want someone who knows nothing about research.”
However, within her first semester, she transferred to a master’s program and later became a PhD student with Dr. Shabnam Asghari.
She also successfully secured 11 scholarships and awards valued at over $150,000 during her time at Memorial.
“I like thinking I’m independent, but so many kind people across three countries have supported me to get me this far.”
Giving back
During Ms. Geetha Manukumar’s program, she developed expertise in health research and studied emergency department patient experience and satisfaction.
She authored or co-authored eight publications, with additional manuscripts in progress and presented her work at nearly 20 conferences.
Her most recent presentation led to her latest role as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Calgary.
The support she received at Memorial, along with her own hard work, allowed her to cover all of her sister’s education costs and pay off her family’s debts, enabling her parents to retire.
Now, Ms. Geetha Manukumar plans to establish the Geetha Foundation, named after her mother, to support educational opportunities for other underprivileged children in India.
“To say Memorial University has changed my life is an understatement,” she said. “It didn’t just change my life; it changed my family’s life. It’s also going to change the lives of young girls growing up in my village, who can now see that a different, better life is possible for them. There’s a ripple effect.”
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