What were your original plans after high school, and how did they shift?

I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to become an attorney. In high school, I participated in Georgia’s Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Law pathway, where I first explored legal systems, criminal justice, and public policy.

At the University of Michigan, I continued pursuing those interests while giving myself room to explore. I studied Political Science and International Studies, specializing in Comparative Culture and Identity, with minors in Public Policy and History.

Through research, fellowships, and classes, I became interested in unequal access to education and how different communities can experience very different outcomes. Studying Yoruba and African regional studies, as well as abroad at Sciences Po in Paris and Yonsei University in Seoul, also introduced me to educational systems and communities different from my own.

My goal of becoming an attorney remained, but my university experiences broadened how I envisioned my future. I became interested in international affairs, public policy, and the role of culture in how we understand the world. I realized that I wanted to work across different communities rather than define my career by a single path.

So, while my original plan didn’t change completely, it evolved. I still plan to attend law school, but I now have a different understanding of the questions I want to explore and the communities I hope to serve.

How did the pandemic change your direction?

I spent the remainder of 10th grade (Year 11) and all of 11th (Year 12) learning online, making the pandemic a defining part of my high school experience. Being confined to the house, I began paying closer attention to government decisions and saw how directly they could affect my life and community.

The pandemic also made me think more seriously about how policy decisions affect educational opportunities. When classes moved online, I saw how differently students experienced the disruption depending on their support and resources. I began tutoring students struggling with online learning, which gave me a closer look at those differences.

At the same time, being separated from others made me appreciate the importance of learning and connection. Teaching English to Haitian teenagers and adults reinforced this perspective. I entered the classroom thinking about what I could teach my students but realized how much I was learning from them too and came to see education as a two-way exchange.

Looking back, COVID did not give me a specific career plan, but it piqued my interest in how policies affect people's opportunities while showing me how much I value learning from and connecting with others.

What inspired you to pursue becoming a Fulbright Fellow?

The Fulbright experience is an opportunity for mutual exchange. I was raised to believe that travel is one of the best forms of education, and that understanding the world requires more than simply reading about it. My parents were intentional about exposing me to different cultures from a young age through travel, languages, culture-focused classes, and even watching [Anthony] Bourdain explore the world through food and conversations with people. I grew up understanding that there was no single way of seeing the world.

One idea from Bourdain that has stayed with me is the importance of stepping outside what is familiar, experiencing other people’s lives, and learning from those encounters. This reflects much of how I was raised to think about the world.

Fulbright felt like a natural extension of that philosophy because it allows me to experience another culture while also contributing something of my own. I want to experience Greece from within the community by teaching, learning from my students and colleagues, studying the language, and becoming familiar with everyday life. At the same time, I can share my experiences as an American, the child of Nigerian immigrants and a University of Michigan student, as well as my perspective as someone who has spent much of my education learning across cultures, languages, and educational systems.

What are you looking forward to doing in your new role at St. Catherine's?

I’m really looking forward to becoming part of the St. Catherine’s community and working with students across both the Upper and Lower Schools. In the classroom, I hope to be the kind of teacher my own teachers were for me: someone who encourages possibilities beyond what students already know. I also look forward to learning from the teachers around me, developing as an educator, and getting involved in the wider school community. I also look forward to working with the Futures department and helping students think through their university options. I hope to help students explore universities in the U.S. and consider opportunities to experience life in a different part of the world.

What key takeaway do you hope to share with students navigating their own futures?

The takeaway I want students to know is that it is okay not to have everything figured out at 17 or 18. I remember the pressure of making decisions about my future while still figuring out who I was.

I entered high school knowing I wanted to become an attorney and continued pursuing that path through college. However, along the way, I discovered interests I couldn't have predicted at 17, which eventually led me to this opportunity with Fulbright and St. Catherine’s in Greece.

My original plan was not wrong, but being open to new experiences allowed it to evolve. I hope students understand that there isn't always one “right” decision, and that education can give you the freedom to change direction as you learn more about yourself.