Editor’s Note: In conjunction with Black History Month, the Daily is profiling five outstanding black students this week.

Involvement in culturally diverse groups and academic organizations at Iowa State has brought Ingrid Roseborough, senior in biology, a long way on the path to her career.

“When I was a freshman, I was figuring out what I wanted to do, so I just kind of did a smattering of things,” she said. “I fell into the groove and decided what I wanted to be involved in.”

For Roseborough, a native of Olympia Fields, Ill., this is no short list.

Currently, she is cultural program assistant for the YWCA, president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), vice president of Order of Omega and vice president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. She also is involved in the McNair Program, which prepares students for graduate studies.

She received the George Washington Carver scholarship and was a National Merit Scholar.

Roseborough was the first member of ISU’s NPHC to be inducted into the greek honor society Order of Omega.

She said NPHC, the governing body of the eight historically black fraternities and sororities at ISU, focuses on community service and unity.

“The point of NPHC is to unite us all under our own common ideas and interests and deal with issues that directly deal with minority women and men … exploring different aspects of our culture and our heritage and things that we can do to serve our respective communities,” she said.

On top of these activities, she is looking at and applying to four-year medical schools, which she will attend following graduation in May.

Roseborough said a career in the medical profession always has been in the back of her mind, but only in the past seven years has it come together.

“For me, medicine is like a combination of all of the things I want to do with my life,” she said. “I’m very interested in working with all kinds of different people in all kinds of different situations.”

In the future, Roseborough said she would like to focus on minorities by developing a women’s medical center.

“I’d like to have an all-inclusive women’s center where women can go and take care of their medical needs — whether it be gynecology, mental health, support groups, yoga, childcare … all serving the needs of diverse women,” she said.

Roseborough credits family members, teachers and administrators for setting her on the right path.

As her greatest role model, Roseborough said her older brother has been an influential figure in her life.

“He is a very committed and dedicated person; he knows what he wants to do and will make the plans necessary to do what he wants,” she said. “I admire that so much.”

Coming from a family of educators, Roseborough was taught at a young age that academics are crucial.

“Sometimes it has been a struggle, and I’ve had to cut back on some things and focus more on others,” she said. “Always, no matter what I’m doing, my academics come first.”

The presence of God and faith in her life also has been a support to Roseborough.

“I know that He has brought me this far, and He won’t let me down. Everyday the plan is revealed to me a bit more,” she said.

Roseborough said the African American community at ISU is small but “like a family.”

“We’re supportive of each other; we support each other’s programs; we support each other academically,” she said. “There are all sorts of programs that we can go to if we are having troubles … Even though we are not great in numbers, we are great in spirit.”

She said overall, diversity seems to be accepted on campus, but there is always room for improvement.

“I really encourage all students to break out of their comfort zones and go explore these other groups. Sometimes I feel like that doesn’t occur enough,” she said.

Though unsure whether she considers herself a role model, Roseborough said she hopes that she is approachable to other students.

“I hope that students that are not only in my field but in different areas can come to me and ask me questions,” she said. “And I feel like I have had the experiences that I might be able to help them out. I have completed a lot here at Iowa State and can draw from a lot of experiences.”

Roseborough encouraged students to “turn failures into stepping stones, and do whatever you can to work past them.”

Roseborough also urged students to get involved.

“Start early and use every opportunity that you can because you never know, down the line, what you are going to need,” she said. “As I get into my graduate studies … my priorities will shift, I’m sure. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be involved in things. I will find a way to be involved.”