Keevens Nepius

“I applied for the fellowship because it’s a good opportunity,” he explains. “It’s something special, exceptional—I used it to challenge myself, learn, and improve my skills. I fulfilled my ambition to work for one of the best hospitals.”

During his fellowship, Keevens handled much of his department’s financial reporting, grant reviewing, grant report, and budget managing. When asked if there were any highlights from his experience, Keevens emphasized that the connections he made with other fellows and medical professionals have made a lasting impact on him. Through the fellowship process, he describes, “You meet a lot of experts. And this network is the best thing you can have in the US when starting a new job.”

Keevens now plans to use the fellowship to further his goal to become a Grants Specialist or Research Administrator in the healthcare field. However, he acknowledges that developing a career in the US as an immigrant professional continues to present unique challenges. “It’s not always easy to start a new life, even more so when you move to a new country.” He furthers that language barriers and a lack of community continue to pose obstacles on his career path.

Nevertheless, Keevens remains optimistic about his professional future. “We do our best because we need to move forward. We have to move on and adapt to our new situation.” He concludes: “I’m grateful to the [fellowship] funders and supporters who made my dream a reality. It’s something very special when you use your own resources to help other people. I fully recognize that I likely would not be here without the generosity of the [fellowship] donors and their involvement in our community.”