• Current city: London, Ontario

• Year arrived in Canada: 2004

• School(s): Western University

• Academic program(s): Geophysics, minor in Computer Science

• Occupation/Profession: Network Engineer

1. From your experience transitioning to Canadian life and culture, do you have any advice for new WUSC students?

Set a goal you can accomplish. Save all the money you can save and learn to invest in yourself. Be open minded and learn as much as possible from your peers. Make friends and build a diverse network.

2. Do you have any advice on choosing academic programs and careers for later success after school?

When choosing a program, ask yourself this: can it pay bills? Is the career in demand? Do I have a passion for the program? What are the risks I am taking? What will I lose by choosing this path? What will I gain by not choosing it?

3. How can new students cope with loneliness and feeling out of place when they first arrive in Canada?

Be open with the WUSC committee members, join clubs. Join the African clubs on campus and be active. Choose some sports. Party when the chance allows it, but do not overdo it.

4. From your experience, what does it take to succeed in Canada? (Measuring success in academic and professional terms).

Choosing a career that is in demand and building a professional network. You get good jobs through who you know. Challenge yourself. Learn to sell yourself.

5. What challenges do you think hinder new students from succeeding in Canada?

Money can be a problem as a new student. You will be forced at times to work during the summer in order to cover your expenses. Take that as a challenge worth working through, for it will build the necessary Canadian Experience required. New students also often do not have the much needed support from the local community, because they are integrated within the student body. So try to seek out others from within your community and build friendships. You get to learn a lot this way.

6. Seeing how credit scores are important in Canada, do you have any advice on managing money or building up a credit profile?

If you must get a credit card, make sure you pay the balance off regularly so that you can keep building a good credit score. Credit scores affect your ability to rent apartments, buy homes, buy cars, etc. Guard your reputation.

7. Do you have any ideas on how new students can manage expectations from friends and family back home?

Make sure they understand you are a student. A student does not have the kind of money they are thinking of. You will send them money, when you have it. But they need to know the reality of living in Canada.

8. If you can reflect on your personal journey, were your aspirations met? What would you do differently if you were to start over again in Canada?

I would get more advice on how to build wealth in Canada. Alot of WUSC students are not educated on wealth building. I would want to learn how to buy property and navigate real estate.