HAITIAN STUDENT DELIVERS SENIOR ADDRESS BEFORE
STARTING MEDICAL SCHOOL
May 26, 2000, Bloomfield, NJ -- Five years ago, Jean Daniel Eloy
immigrated to the United States from Haiti with the dream of becoming a
physician. He could not speak English, and worked in a dry cleaning
establishment in West Orange more than 40 hours a week to help his family make
ends meet. On May 25, Eloy, now a Bloomfield resident, delivered the senior
address at Bloomfield College’s commencement, and graduated with honors
before he starts medical school in the fall.
“Daniel represents the best of Bloomfield College,” said Professor of Chemistry Maria Vogt. “He represents what can be done with hard work and determination and is a role model for all immigrants wishing to follow the American Dream.” (Read full text of speech)
Daniel’s mother and father immigrated to the United States in the 1980’s. Three of the family’s five children came to America is 1993, but because of the immigration laws, Daniel and the oldest sister, Marie, had to stay behind. Daniel supported his sister by teaching French and literature full-time in Haiti, until they were able to join the rest of the family in East Orange in 1995.
As soon as he came to the United States, Daniel began working full-time as a dry cleaner while enrolling in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at a local community college. “It was hard working five days a week while also going to class,” said Daniel. “Often, at the dry cleaners, I would be thinking about what should be on my papers, or how to solve a chemistry problem, or how to begin my oral presentation for ESL.”
After spending a semester at community college, Daniel decided to transfer to
Bloomfield College. “My brother, Anderson, was enrolled at Bloomfield College, and he told me that they have a very good ESL program, so I came,” explained Daniel. Daniel and Anderson were not the only siblings to attend Bloomfield College, however. Daniel will graduate with his sister, Marie, who is a clinical laboratory science major. His other sisters, Nahomie and Gina, are a sophomore and junior, respectively.
Soon after starting at Bloomfield, Daniel became a chemistry major in order to strengthen his chances of getting into medical school. Since he had a love and an aptitude for science in general, he decided to become a double major in chemistry and biology. Eventually, his double major turned into a triple major of chemistry, biochemistry and biology.
Despite consistently heavy academic workloads, Daniel found time to volunteer as a peer mentor for both the Division of Natural Science and Mathematics and for the Center for Academic Development. In his junior year, he received the Peer Tutor Recognition Award at Award’s Night. A gifted musician, Daniel also spent much of his free time in the College Center, where he would entertain friends by improvising at the piano.
As a senior, Daniel received five awards, including the Excellence in Science Award, the EOF Leadership Award, and Who’s Who Among College Students in American Universities and Colleges.
This spring, Daniel was accepted to three medical schools: UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, and Penn State in Hershey. He is still deciding which school to attend, but may join his brother Anderson, a 1998 Bloomfield College graduate, who is entering his third year at New Jersey Medical School.
For Daniel, becoming a physician is a way to follow in his uncle’s footsteps, but it is also a way to overcome the feeling helplessness he experienced after one of his friends was shot and killed in Haiti. “My friend was shot in the street and then shot again in the hospital. It was tragic,” said Daniel. “It made me want to do something to help people.”
At commencement, he came one step closer to that goal. “I owe a lot (of my success) to hard work, but also to having good mentors,” said Daniel. “There were many Bloomfield College faculty members who helped me, and my parents gave me a lot of support.”
