Black Futures Month Features
Designed by Chanelle Abankwah, Transforming Sights
Still Becoming Marvis
Marvis Awoyeni’s journey in STEM began with a simple curiosity: how does the human body function? That question led her deeper into science and eventually to a definitive decision to pursue medicine and health sciences.
Her curiosity did more than guide her career choice. It shaped how she explored the world. While volunteering at Etobicoke General Hospital, she witnessed firsthand how science directly impacts human health. Seeing medicine in action deepened her passion and expanded her understanding of what it means to serve through science.
Marvis’ involvement in STEM did not stop there. As a peer researcher with Rise In STEM, she contributed to research and translating it into programs and resources with her peers. She also took on leadership roles in high school, including helping to organize Black female career fairs in STEM. Each experience added dimension to her journey and brought her to where she is now: studying Medical Sciences at Brock University, continuing to deepen her knowledge and sharpen her purpose.
Marvis is deeply committed to representation and mentorship. As a Black woman in STEM, she understands the importance of equity, inclusion, and visibility in academic and professional spaces. In high school, she served as President of the Black Student Association and became involved in mentorship and youth leadership initiatives. She intentionally created and stepped into spaces that empower young Black students to take pride in pursuing STEM, and their personal and professional goals.
While she was advocating and leading, she was also growing. Through each initiative, Marvis was shaping her own identity in STEM and in her personal life. Leadership, advocacy, empathy, and cultural awareness became pillars of who she is becoming. Her experiences taught her the importance of building supportive communities and giving back to the very spaces that helped shape her.
When asked what excites her most about innovation in health and medicine, Marvis shares
“the rapid advancement of personalized medicine fascinated me. I am inspired by how treatments are increasingly tailored to an individual’s genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environment”
She also highlights the growing use of artificial intelligence in diagnostics, where AI systems help detect diseases such as cancer, heart conditions, and neurological disorders earlier and with greater accuracy.
Breakthroughs in genomics, gene editing technologies, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical research are particularly compelling to her. These innovations are transforming healthcare into a more precise, proactive, and patient-centered system.
For Marvis, the true excitement lies in how these advances improve health outcomes and overall quality of life.
When asked what “still becoming” means to her right now, Marvis reflects:
“Still becoming represents growth, self-discovery, and the continuous process of learning.”
To Marvis, that means allowing herself to be in spaces where she can explore different paths within STEM without feeling pressured to have everything figured out. It reflects her journey of developing confidence, leadership, and clarity in her academic and career goals. Right now, she is still becoming a stronger student, a more impactful leader, and a more grounded individual. She is learning to embrace uncertainty, trust the process, and view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks.
To her, “still becoming” is about evolving into the best version of herself while remaining open to change, learning, and new perspectives.
As Marvis continues in her season of becoming, her message to everyone is that growth often happens outside your comfort zone. Confidence is built through action, not perfection. Failures are not meant to be perceived as setbacks, but as feedback. And most importantly, believe in yourself. Self-belief is foundational to resilience.
This is Marvis Awoyeni, and this is her story of becoming.
