By Jordan Mareno
Some people aren’t quite sure of what they want in life.
Some people have a general idea of what they want in life.
Some people know exactly what they want in life and allow nothing to stand in their way. And these individuals often find themselves at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Such is the case for UNC senior, Mariah Akinbi. Set to graduate next month with a B.A. in Chemistry, Mariah has hopes to work in R&D for Procter and Gamble.
The young woman seems unstoppable: Her favorite class at UNC was Organic Chemistry 2, practically unheard of across campus. She picked up gymnastics and joined UNC’s club team with no prior experience. She is heavily involved in Carolina For The Kids and Summit College, works a retail job at Southpoint Mall, and has travelled to both Panama and Honduras on service trips. As I listened to Mariah’s accomplishments, it became clear to me that I, as a first-semester freshman, have only dipped my toes into the opportunities that our campus has to offer. Mariah dove in head first.
Unaffected by the frigid wind that forced the rest of us into fits of shivering, Mariah arrived to her November photoshoot in an elegant black dress. She posed at the Old Well, proudly holding up a “1” and a “5” with her fingers, representing her graduation class.
The senior was born in Chapel Hill and represents what it means to be a Tar Heel born and a Tar Heel bred. She experienced college life at UNC the way that we all hope to: She lived on campus for all four of her years as an undergraduate, she rushed Franklin Street in 2014 after the Heels topped the Blue Devils, and she now finds herself sad to leave friendships and memories that she has created. At the same time, she has a powerful degree and an invaluable level of experience to wield in the real world.
The young woman posed for the camera, documenting a time in her life when the hard work had finally paid off. An air of achievement and finality surrounded Mariah and, as I witnessed this aura of accomplishment, I was infused with excitement. My head filled with images of myself in her shoes, four years in the future. Donning the Carolina blue graduation gown is what every Tar Heel aims for. Mariah did it better than anyone.
UNC promises a commanding education and priceless connections within the Carolina community. Mariah Akinbi has just that–and she knows how to use it.
As Mariah led us to the stacks of the Undergraduate Library, shaping her photoshoot to be exactly the way she imagined it, she embodied the ultimate Tar Heel. She placed her foot atop a stack of intimidating chemistry textbooks and proudly smiled. Shimmering in Carolina blue, she had visibly conquered everything that the past four years threw at her.
Nothing will stand in her way.
Photographs by Shengmei Yin & Leah
UNC-CH Lens 