Chinelo Osakwe
Chinelo Osakwe is a rising junior pursuing a B.A. in Comparative Literature and Psychology, with a minor in Psychoanalytic Studies. She focuses on the intersection of healthcare and marginalization, aiming to critically examine structural inequities and advocate for dignity, voice, and access for those most affected. After graduation, Osakwe plans to attend law school and continue researching racial disparities in healthcare and the criminal justice system.
As a 2025 SUMR scholar, Osakwe is working with Dr. Laura Starbird on the TechMPower study, which focuses on integrating HIV and substance use services within criminal justice settings. In this role, she helps clean and collate cost data, conduct the pilot cost analysis, refine data collection instruments for the full-scale trial cost-effectiveness analysis, and contribute to manuscript development. Osakwe is also collaborating with Dr. Kate Wallis and researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania on a study evaluating the inclusion of limited English proficiency (LEP) participants in clinical trials for autistic children. Her contributions include systematic data review from ClinicalTrials.gov, descriptive data analysis, and manuscript and abstract preparation for national conferences.
Beyond research, Osakwe is an editor for The Penn Review and Faces of Black Penn and serves on the Maternal Health and Education Committees of the Health of African Immigrants Program. She also hosts “Breaking Bread,” a podcast exploring diasporic narratives, and edits podcasts for the Daily Pennsylvanian. She tutors at AFAHO in West Philadelphia, mentors youth through HIAS PA, and volunteers with the ACLU in North Philadelphia. In her free time, Osakwe enjoys going on runs, traveling, and playing piano.