The idea that sparked Nadia Ford’s Integrative Project (IP) was born in the course Human Rights in Africa, taught by Dr. Marlana Salmon-Letelier. The week’s readings were about sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), and Nadia, an avid supporter of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), realized this topic was something she wanted to pursue at a higher and more applied level. Her final project, a condensed menstrual hygiene management (MHM) curriculum for the NGO Inter-community Development Organisation Nigeria (IDS) lay the foundations for her eventual IP.
Prior to beginning her Master’s in International and Comparative Education, Nadia had a one-track mind for her studies, unaware of how expansive the field is. Through her coursework in the program, she given opportunities to forge her own path, whether that meant constructing her own case study on a particular theme or issue or expanding her network. Nadia was determined to create an experience at TC that best suited for her established and emerging interests, and as such she took advantage of opportunities within the university and beyond that offered her a holistic perspective of the field.
Following Dr. Salmon-Letelier's course, Nadia stayed in touch with IDS throughout her first year to work on multiple edits of the cultural content in the curriculum she proposed. Later, through the core I&CE course Issues and Institutions in International Education, Nadia chose to focus her case study on theories that would complement MHM. Being awarded the Carmela Volpe Fellowship then allowed Nadia to continue working with IDS during the summer, which resulted in an even strong foundation for her IP. The opportunity to partner with an NGO for a topic so closely aligned with her interests and aspirations allowed Nadia to put the theories and methods she learned directly to practice. Additional funds from the CARES Act allowed Nadia to pursue summer courses alongside her work, strengthening the curriculum component of her IP.
Countless Zoom calls with Nigeria later, Nadia submitted her IP and will graduate in May 2022. She has since held virtual training sessions with the staff at IDS to support the implementation of the curriculum.
Her passion for SRHR does not end with the submission of her IP. Nadia has presented her work to the International and Transcultural Studies department through the Center for African Education and the IP Extravaganza. Her 3 Minute Thesis presentation to the TC community earned 2nd place. Further accolades include being awarded the George W. Perkins Memorial Scholarship and the Shirley Chisholm Trailblazer Award, each affirming for Nadia that her goal to share her passions and instill a sense of community within TC was well recognized amongst her peers and professors.
Outside of TC, Nadia is continuing this work in a number of ways including volunteering with the Cycle Alliance, a pro-period advocacy group at the Brooklyn Library and working as a Grant Writer for I Am A Girl, an NGO that works to eradicate household poverty and build healthier communities by empowering women and girls with the tools to recognize their worth, care for their menstrual days, and ensure they stay in school.
On May 12, 2022, Nadia will present her IP to the Case Western Reserve University student group Underrepresented Minorities in Biomedical Engineering (UMBE) as part of their Health Disparities speaker series.
Nadia is immensely grateful to the ITS department for promoting opportunities that have allowed her to further engage in this work and share her passion with others.