When Afeni Laws crosses the McCamish stage at Commencement, she’ll finish a story that covered six years, three universities, and two degrees. And she’ll start writing a new chapter in hospital operating rooms.

Laws’ path began at Stony Brook University in New York, where she initially pursued a biomedical engineering degree. 

The pandemic, however, upended her plans. With campuses shutting down and the uncertainty of the time, Laws returned to Georgia to be closer to her family in Peachtree Corners. This led her to Clark Atlanta University, where she discovered the Dual-Degree Engineering Program with Georgia Tech. The partnership means she could continue her studies in biomedical engineering and also earn a biology degree.

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Laws said. “I knew it meant more work, but it also meant more opportunity — scholarships, internships, and a chance to experience two incredible institutions. I met so many great people, and I've landed so many opportunities through my relationship with Dual Degree.”

Laws is the first in her family to go to college. And in addition to the work of finishing her engineering degree, she also balanced 32-hour workweeks at Trader Joe’s to support her family. That often left little room for anything else.

“My first semester at Tech was incredibly challenging,” she said. “I struggled balancing work and school, but over time I built a support system and began to lean on them. That made all the difference.”

It also sparked a drive to create community, which became a defining element of her time at Georgia Tech.

As a transfer student, Laws understood the unique challenges faced by those who join Tech later in their academic careers. She became a mentor and advocate for other transfer students, sharing her experiences and working to improve resources to make their transitions smoother.