Free tuition and insistent grandparents drew Ejim Dike ’94 to Berea in 1990. The college’s rich history and commitment to being a strong beacon in perilous times made her feel confident in her decision.
Serving as the executive director of the U.S. Human Rights Network has positioned Dike on the frontlines of addressing global issues. She has advocated for Indigenous communities affected by environmental pollution, women dealing with maternal mortality and reproductive justice, discussions about reparations and families impacted by police brutality.
In her eyes, anything that involves an individual’s access to resources should be viewed through a human rights lens. She integrated everything she learned with her values to create a framework for the impact she wanted to make on the world.
Her advocacy led to her leadership position with the U.S. Human Rights Network. In 2012, the Civil and Human Rights Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, contacted her to do a piece on what racial discrimination looks like in the U.S.
The installation was a staple feature at the museum until it closed for renovations in January 2025. However, Dike has collaborated with the museum to curate new galleries for its expanded center opening later this year. These galleries will highlight the history and complexities of race in the U.S., from the impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to the integral role Atlanta played in the Civil Rights and Black Power movements.
“I think narrative is important; history is important,” Dike said. “Understanding actual history is powerful and necessary. I’m hoping we told the story in a way that encourages reflection and inspires people.”
Looking at the trajectory of her work, Dike embodies what it means to be a Berean at one’s core: the importance of diligent work and finding common ground. Dike finds joy in life through meaningful connections and time spent with her daughter.
“I really enjoyed my time at Berea,” she said. “I love the emphasis on service and giving back. I always thought it to be a responsibility we have to each other. Serving others who serve you is a social contract in a successful community. I think Berea did a really good job of exemplifying that.”
At Berea, Dike was exposed to the idea that education could serve as a means of personal empowerment and a catalyst for broader societal transformation. These ideas fostered a strong belief in the importance of having viable educational opportunities in one’s life.
“Philosophically, I believe education is a human right, and it’s a right we should all be able to access,” Dike said, highlighting the lack of fairness in educational access that is contingent on the financial means of one’s parents.
Dike related Berea’s commitments and mission to the values she grew up with in her Nigerian household. For her, Berea reinforced the necessity of being guided by love and understanding.
“As a properly raised Nigerian, I sort of felt like I should be doing more engineering because that seemed to be more respected in the society at the time,” she explained. “I didn’t come from a culture where you could major in philosophy. If I could go back and counsel myself and my peers on one thing, it would be to not be scared of pursuing what you want.”
Dike graduated from Berea with a degree in industrial technology. Taking advantage of the benefits of a liberal arts education, she explored courses outside of her major. To meet her exploratory perspectives, she took classes in philosophy and social justice.
When I was at Berea, I saw students from the Appalachian region, southeast region and international territories who had more similar experiences than you would think, which taught me the importance of looking at these problems not just through one social issue, like race, but through a variety of factors.
Ejim Dike ’94
Despite the intention to go into architecture, she began gravitating more toward her passion for social work when it came time to find a career path after graduate school.
“Because I didn’t have this massive amount of debt, I felt the freedom to choose a job I was more aligned with even if it paid less,” she said. “I was able to graduate and take a job in social work, even though social work jobs don’t pay very much. I don’t think I would’ve had the same liberties if I didn’t get a [tuition]-free education.”
After graduating, Dike found herself in New York, where she connected with alumna Marie Runyon ’37. Ruynon introduced her to the world of social justice as a career. Since then, if Dike had a seat at the table, she knew how she wanted to use her influence.
Studying at Berea opened Dike’s eyes to the intersectionality and depth of poverty and socioeconomic hardship in the U.S.
“When I was at Berea, I saw students from the Appalachian region, southeast region and international territories who had more similar experiences than you would think,” she recalled, “which taught me the importance of looking at these problems not just through one social issue, like race, but through a variety of factors.”
When asked what she’s most proud of in her career, Dike focused on her work with the United Nations. “We changed what the ‘experts’ look like,” she said. “We advocated for the experts on human rights topics to be someone with the same lived experience we’re discussing on the floor, not just someone with a Ph.D.”
Dike credits this success to the philosophy that people closest to the problem are in the best position to solve it. “The people who are now the experts are those with a testimony,” Dike said. “That’s what I’m most proud of.”
