Student Spotlights
Isata Mansaray
Isata Mansaray is a health sciences student at Western and a recipient of the James Jenkins President’s Entrance Scholarship. Originally from Sierra Leone, Isata emigrated to Canada in 2006 and has contributed to her community by mentoring youths about post-secondary education. She is a member of the Western wrestling and women’s rugby teams. Mansaray is passionate about addressing inequities in healthcare and other socio-economic sectors.
Vanessa Memeh
Vanessa Memeh is a second-year computer science major at Western University and one of the 36 recipients of the 2023 Loran Scholarship. Originally from Nigeria, Memeh emigrated to Canada in 2018 with her family. In high school, she was involved in student council, anti-racism committees and community service. Memeh aims to merge her passion for equity and social justice with healthcare, aspiring to run a hospital in the future.
Feyi Ogunsanya
Feyi Ogunsanya is the co-president of the African Students' Association (ASA) and a medical science student at Western University. She emphasizes the inclusivity of the ASA's Culture Showcase, encouraging students of all backgrounds to attend and learn about the diverse aspects of African culture. The showcase, themed “Return to Eden,” aims to reconnect students with their roots while celebrating the richness and diversity of African traditions.
Whitney Onoberhie
Whitney Onoberhie is a computer science student at Western University and one of the 20 recipients of the RBC Future Launch Scholarship for Black Youth. Originally from Nigeria, Onoberhie moved to Canada four years ago and has been active in helping other youth in her school and community. Onoberhie aims to apply artificial intelligence to humanitarian efforts and is a member of the Western Developers Society.
Ivy Osei
Ivy Osei is a graduate student in Western University’s Sport Management program, who is focusing her studies on the traditional games played in villages throughout Africa that are of indigenous origin – meaning they weren’t introduced to Africa through colonial occupation, like soccer and basketball. Osei has decided to start SportDrive, a non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on developing traditional games into standardized sports.
Birabwa Serumaga and Jeanique Wilson
Birabwa Serumaga and Jeanique Wilson were psychology students at Brescia University College who volunteered at WeBridge Community Services. They mentored Black high school students in London, helping them navigate post-secondary education by providing guidance on grades, financial assistance and time management. Their involvement helped Black youth, encouraging them to pursue leadership roles.
Liz Walters
Liz Walters is a student at Western's Compressed Time Frame BScN Program and has aspirations of making a change in the world that surrounds her. As a nursing student and health science undergraduate, she found her passion to help others at a very young age, and since then has been motivated to provide empathetic care for others. Although her path did not always align with post-secondary schooling and many people thought of this goal to be unachievable for her, she remained driven and was even able to receive bursaries to help alleviate the cost of her education.
Jasmine Uboma
Jasmine Uboma is a 3rd year Honours in Statistics Student who operates Beyond Math, a tutoring service to help kids cultivate analytical and critical thinking skills, specifically with math. When it first began in 2020, the program would use books to get elementary and high school-aged kids to learn about analytical reasoning. She started this tutoring service after she realized that she was amongst the only black person in her science, math and technology courses, in hopes of strengthening her community and the young Black leaders to come
