Student: Emmanuella Dogbe-Tsogbe

Born in Togo in West Africa, a graduate of Myers Park High School in Charlotte and now a senior at East Carolina University, Emmanuella “Ella” Dogbe-Tsogbe stays busy.

She’s majoring in foreign languages and literatures with a concentration Hispanic studies as well as molecular and cell biology. She grew up speaking French and Ewe. She plans to graduate in May.

“I started off as just a biology major but after talking with my advisor, Dr. (Jean-Luc) Scemama, and exploring more majors, I realized that I could pursue multiple degrees and still graduate on time,” she said.

“I’ve always enjoyed biology, and it is a great way for me to obtain a solid foundation in science classes,” she said. “As for Hispanic studies, I started taking Spanish classes in high school, and I loved it so much that I wanted to continue with it and become fluent. Not only is Spanish the second-most spoken language in the world, it has helped me better understand other cultures as well as my own. Being able to speak English, French, Ewe and Spanish will offer me more opportunities to work abroad and better understand the people.”

In addition, she’s a Global Living Learning Community mentor, vice president of the Spanish Club, a member of the pre-medical honors society and a graduate of the Chancellor’s Student Leadership Academy.

She’s studied abroad in Granada and Ecuador.

Just in case she has any spare time, she likes to spend it playing tennis with friends.

A senior at ECU, Emmanuella “Ella” Dogbe-Tsogbe is quadrilingual and plans to go to medical school then work with Doctors Without Borders.

Dogbe-Tsogbe has relatives who are doctors, but that’s not the main reason she wants to pursue that career. “Being born in an underdeveloped country meant I did not have the best health care resources,” she said. “I was constantly being rushed to the hospital and having to depend on multiple medications for the majority of my childhood. Being in the hospital so often began to increase my interest in the medical field. Seeing the lifesaving work and compassion from the doctors and nurses inspired me to want to do the same.”

She hopes to attend medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and be a generalist physician unless another specialty draws her in once she gets to medical school. Eventually, she wants to work with the international medical humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders, where her quadri-lingualism will no doubt help.

With the fall semester officially underway, she’s ready to get back to campus after switching to online learning in the spring due to COVID-19. “Some of my classes transitioned smoothly, but some of my upper level classes and labs took some time for me to adjust to,” she said.

What advice do you have for other students?

Take advantage of all the opportunities and programs offered on campus and definitely get to know your professors.

What is something cool about ECU that you wish you knew during your first year?

I wish I knew how incredible the school spirit is and how amazing the professors are. Everyone is very supportive and always willing to help the students out.

STATISTICS

Name: Emmanuella Dogbe-Tsogbe

College: Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences

Major: Molecular and cell biology, Hispanic studies

Age: 20

Classification/Year: Senior

Hometown: Charlotte

Hobbies/interests: Playing tennis, traveling, hiking, baking

Clubs and Organizations: Spanish Club, Alpha Epsilon Delta: Pre-Health Honor Society, mentor for the Jarvis Living Learning Community and the Global Leadership LLC, member of Sigma Delta Pi: Hispanic Honor Society.

FAVORITES

Favorite hangout: Amelie’s French Bakery with my friends in Charlotte

Favorite place on campus: Main Campus Student Center

Favorite place to eat: Villa Verde

Favorite class: Cell and developmental biology

Professor who influenced you the most: Jennifer Valko

Favorite TV show: “Vis a Vis” (“Locked Up”)

Favorite band/musician: The Beatles

Favorite movie: “The Godfather”

Favorite website: YouTube

MOTIVATIONS

Dream job: Become a physician with Doctors Without Borders

Role model: My parents

Your words to live by: “Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity” – Hippocrates