Laura Ugwoke - BOLD Stories

Laura Ugwoke’s dream is to become a Dietician, and she intends to do whatever it takes to see through.
One of the steps Laura has taken to achieve her goal has been to transfer from her previous university, the University of British Columbia (UBC), to Brescia to complete her bachelor’s degree in an Honours specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics.
But moving to London, Ontario to attend Brescia, meant Laura had to leave her family behind, something she had never done before.
Laura explains it was a challenging but necessary step to take towards fulfilling her educational, and eventually, career goals.
“Moving to Brescia was challenging for me because I moved far from my family,” Laura shares. “At first, I found it overwhelming, so I looked for opportunities to get connected with the community. I felt if I knew more about how things worked, I wouldn’t feel so isolated. That’s why I applied to work as a Student Wellness Education Coordinator at the Student Life Centre,” Laura said.

She added that while many things helped to make her feel less homesick, it was Brescia’s ‘welcoming community’ that made her feel so much more at home.

“It’s been amazing at Brescia. The community here is so friendly, so inviting and warm. The students and staff are all so helpful, and the opportunities to be a part of such a beautiful community are what make Brescia so special.  Our university encourages students to pursue roles in leadership and personal development, so fulfilling your big dreams becomes possible here.” 

 

The 22-year-old, who is currently in her 3^rd year, said she has been thoroughly enjoying her time at Brescia. One of the biggest attractions for Laura has been the beauty of Brescia’s campus, including the upscale residences where each student has the space and freedom to build a sense of home.
Additionally, Laura highlights that the environment at Brescia, from day one, has been one focused on inclusion, diversity, and equity.

“The community here is friendly and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion and decolonization. I’ve been lucky to be able to reach out to a lot of staff, faculty and community members who have helped me with my transition here as a student. At Brescia, they also take a lot of feedback from students to make programs more inclusive, and it’s empowering to be heard – especially at this age and stage.”

“I do feel that I am allowed to be who I am at Brescia. In all my roles, the university promotes ideas of equity and inclusion, ensuring that we are sensitive to other people’s experiences. We make a concerted effort not to alienate people. The systematic efforts made at Brescia really help me feel more comfortable and at home here.”

 

Laura stressed that through her role in the Student Life Centre, she made it her mission to extend the same treatment she has received to students who come seeking assistance with their mental health and wellness goals.

“The most important thing when it comes to inclusion is being an ally. So, I try to ensure I am an ally to students. I take their feedback when planning programs and I listen to what they would like to see on campus because I believe that Brescia, for every student here, it’s a place of comfort for them and you have a right to influence your community here. That’s how I try to do it,” she explained.

Laura said that she has been able to ‘define her bold’ through being a student leader at Brescia intends to pass it on to others as well.

How is Laura developing her BOLD?

“Being bold means pushing against the status quo. It means standing up for what you believe in and being who you are and proudly following those opportunities and proudly standing by your beliefs.”

 

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