A remarkable story of heritage at Harvard University. Dr. Rita Eburuoh and her daughter Schola Chioma Eburuoh—both proud Igbo women—graduated together, marking a moment of history and legacy.
Rita earned her Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, while Chioma received her Master in Design Studies from the Graduate School of Design.
Their journey was marked by courage. Just weeks before commencement, they lost their beloved matriarch—Chioma’s grandmother and Rita’s mother—who had helped raise their family in the U.S. for over two decades. Yet, in the midst of grief, they pressed on and triumphed.
Chioma wrote: “We walked this road together… it wasn’t always easy. But by God’s grace, we crossed the finish line.”
This is more than a graduation—it is a powerful testament to the strength of women, the bond of family, and the enduring pride of Ndị Igbo.
For her final project at Harvard, Chioma honored memory and history of Biafra, through an interactive storytelling installation titled “(re)Assembling Memory: A Collective Tapestry of Biafra.”
She wrote: “I took a risk—exploring war, memory, and healing through an experience that let people not just see history, but hold it.” Each person left with a piece of the tapestry—a piece of our collective past made tangible.
We celebrate you, Rita and Chioma.
I am so proud of this story.
