Pamela Ogwuazor Momah ’84

After finishing her advanced-level qualifications in London, Nigeria-native Pamela Ogwuazor Momah ’84 was invited to come live with her family in New York City to experience the American education system. Momah’s cousin, who had been attending another Marymount school, introduced her to MMC and the rest is history. 

At MMC, Momah chose to major in International Studies and learned from the late Dr. Gurcharan Singh, Professor and founder of the International Studies program at MMC, and Carmen Coll, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of French. It was in Dr. Coll’s summer French course that Momah’s love for travel was invigorated, as she and her classmates visited the University of Nice in southern France and toured parts of the French and Italian Rivieras.

Momah was also one of the founding members of the International Relations club at MMC, which hosted numerous events highlighting the food, dance, and music of the College’s international students. Yet, it was working in the College’s Thomas J. Shanahan Library where she grew to understand the value of books in providing access to education. Shelve a book in the wrong place, she explains, and the information is hidden from the seeker. “Those who, on the other hand, have easy access to information have a less tedious task in achieving their goals.” The systematic cataloguing and classification of books intrigued Momah and inspired her to enroll in a master’s in Library and Information Science program at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. “I was able to marry International Relations with Library and Information Science,” she explains. With her background in International Studies, she is able to easily navigate her way in the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs library, where she currently serves as the Deputy Director of Library Services.