Mary-Ann Aliu is a proud alumni of the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) who understands the challenges international students often face in adjusting to life thousands of miles from their homeland.
Financial challenges often top that list and that’s why she joined with three other former students from Nigeria to form the Diaspora Alumni Scholarship fund. Together, Aliu, Daniel Ohaegbu, Tolulope Adesoye, and Elizabeth Iwunwa were able to award three sponsored $1,000 scholarships for African students attending either the UPEI or Holland College.
Aliu says COVID-19 has made the situation more challenging as some students have stayed in Charlottetown even when university isn’t in session out of concern they might not be able to return due to travel restrictions if they go home.
The four came together in November 2020 to begin planning for the scholarship, putting the word out through social media.
It was immediately evident the need was there with more than 30 applications received over the three-week submission period in early 2021. While the scholarships were based on financial need rather than merit, students on academic probation were not eligible to apply. Aliu says all three winners are currently enrolled at P.E.I.’s only university for the 2021/22 academic year.
Aliu says all four members of the committee believe it’s important to give back, not only to international students studying in Canada’s smallest province but to the broader Island community.
While Aliu considers herself fortunate to have gone through university without struggling financially, she is all too aware it’s not the experience of every international student. She says the quartet believe it’s important to let international students know there are supports out there.
“We all know how hard it can be when you are away from home and don’t have your family around,” she says. “We hope that by providing this help, students will be encouraged to go for their dreams and make the most of the opportunities they have studying on P.E.I.”
Aliu is also involved with the Atlantic Student Development Alliance, a non-profit organization based in Charlottetown working with top international students and graduates to connect them to Atlantic Canada’s job opportunities. Both she and Iwunwa are directors while Ohaegbu is the head of development.
The organization offers international students/graduates expert coaching/mentoring and soft skills training to help them launch their careers. The group also help companies match international students and graduates to their job opportunities. Aliu says she views the alliance as another way to help international students become part of the business community in Atlantic Canada generally and more specifically in P.E.I.
She says all four creators of the scholarship envisioned helping their fellow students even when they were students themselves. She is hoping both the scholarship and the alliance will inspire international students and alumni to give back to the community any way they can.
While the scholarship was originally intended to be a one-time endeavor, Aliu says after seeing the large number of applications, they’re working on making it a more permanent fixture.
“We are just exploring the best way to make that happen at this point,” she says.
