Kenyan Doctor Named Best Black African Student in the UK

A Kenyan doctor has been named the best black African university student in the United Kingdom.

Elisha Ngetich, a Rhodes scholar currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Surgical Sciences at Oxford University, was ranked number one in this year’s Rare Rising Star Awards.

The annual awards celebrate the UK’s top 10 black African and Caribbean university students, who will inspire the next generation with their exceptional achievements.

Rare, a specialist diversity recruitment company, recognizes university students who have excelled academically and in business, charity, community, music, sport, and technology. Stars are usually marked for determination, depth of achievement, breadth of talent, initiative, and leadership.

“I am extremely delighted to win this award and greatly appreciate the efforts and sacrifices that so many people have made to get me here,” said Ngetich, a doctor and global health specialist. 

In 2018, Ngetich was one of just two students selected nationally for the Rhodes scholarship at the University of Oxford.

The former University of Nairobi alumnus joined hands with friends in 2019 and co-founded the Integrated Cancer Research Foundation (ICRF) Kenya, an organization that seeks to reduce the burden of cancer and improve its management through evidence-based approaches.

He is also the co-founder of Iluu, a social impact organization aimed at addressing gender inequalities and improving access to education in marginalized communities in East Africa.

At Oxford, Ngetich serves on various Oxford University student boards and as President of Oxford University Africa Society, where he represents more than 400 African students and thousands of alumni. 

“I hope that my story will inspire that little black boy in that remote or marginalized community to have a bold dream,” he said.