Graduate profile: Justice Obasohan

Obasohan is a native of Duplin County and a public health studies major. (Photo by Rob Taylor)

Justice Obasohan came to ECU for two reasons: academics and athletic opportunities, with dreams of playing Division I basketball and becoming a physician. A four-year letterman on the Pirate basketball team, he will attend the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine for a program this summer as he continues his pursuits of a career in health care.

Obasohan did not come to ECU as a scholarship player after graduating high school in 2015. Instead, he enrolled as a walk-on and earned a scholarship during the spring semester of his junior season because of the work ethic instilled by parents, both of whom stressed the importance of education.

He was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honor Court following his junior campaign and has earned a place on The American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team each of the past three seasons, while also serving as a member of the ECU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

A native of Duplin County, Obasohan knows firsthand the challenges people face when it comes to access to health care and health literacy in the rural communities of eastern North Carolina, which prompted his desire to decrease the gap in underserved populations.

He credits ECU with shaping his success and preparing him for his future profession with the opportunities to shadow physicians and gain valuable field experience as a public health studies major.

“I’ll always remember how nurturing ECU was,” Obasohan said. “I am especially grateful for the lessons I learned [from my coaches] about life and professionalism. They emphasized principles that lead to success, not only as a basketball player, but also as a person.”

After the completion of the summer program at the University of Miami, he will begin to submit applications to medical school while looking to gain practical experience in the health care field during the gap year.

-Jody Jones, ECU Athletics

Obasohan was recognized at the March 10 ECU-UConn game as one of the Pirates’ three seniors. (Photo by Rob Goldberg)