US President takes ‘selfie’ with St Cross alumna

adanna bbc

President Joe Biden taking a selfie with Adanna Ewuzie (centre with glasses)

While in Northern Ireland last week, President of the United States Joe Biden took a ‘selfie’ that splashed the cover of newspapers and highlighted his visit to Ulster University’s Belfast campus – a selfie with St Cross alumna Adanna Ewuzie (MSc Global Health Science and Epidemiology, 2021). 

“The funniest part is it was my phone,” says Adanna.  

After Biden finished his speech, he came off the stage and began mingling in the crowd. “There were a few people in front, but he kept looking at me directly. He put his hand out and asked what’s your name? Thought it might be,” he said when Adanna told the President her name. 

She was handing her phone to someone else when the President reached out, took it, then posed for the now famous selfie. 

Adanna studied for a masters degree while at St Cross and was Chair of the College's annual Summer Ball in 2022. She is currently a fourth-year medical student at Queen's University Belfast. She was surprised to receive an invitation from the US Consulate inviting her to the event on 12 April 2023 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, an invitation she learned on the day was because she took part in the Belfast Enterprise Academy. The lead, Nancy Brown, put her name forward. 

“It was a very insane day,” says Adanna, saying it was overwhelming considering she didn’t know what to expect when she arrived for the event. News outlets such as the BBC and RTE quickly interviewed Adanna afterward about the experience, and friends have been reaching out since. 

Alongside news outlets, Adanna’s famous self with Joe Biden can be seen on POTUS social media accounts such as on Instagram

As shared by fellow St Crosser, Abdalrhaman (Abdo) Koko (DPhil Materials Science, 2018): “I can’t blame Joe, not every day you get a chance for a selfie with Adanna Ewuzie.”