For the majority of Gustavus students the question “Where are you from?” is simple. It’s something they can answer quickly, without hesitation. For Senior Adwoa Afreh, it is the opposite.  She was born in Ghana and lived there until the age of eleven, when she and her family moved to Chicago.

“I call two places home . . . Chicago and Ghana. I can’t say only one of them because they share equal responsibility in raising me,” Adwoa said.

She first heard about Gustavus her junior year of high school when she attended a small private college fair. There she met an admissions counselor from Gustavus and ended up having a great conversation with her.  A conversation that later influenced her decision to apply to Gustavus.

Adwoa has made the most out her time at Gustavus through her involvement in a number of activities and the lasting relationships she’s formed with both students and staff. In her three and a half years, she has been a part of Student Senate, the Interfaith Advisory Board, Pan- African Student Organization (PASO), while taking advantage of a Sexual Violence Awareness, Prevention, and Education internship. She is also a mentor in the St. Peter community.

“[Being a mentor] has been a great opportunity for me . . . it’s not just about helping them learn, it’s about what they teach you and their impact on your life,” Awdoa said.

Jill VanOsdol, who is currently the supervisor for Adwoa’s internship, knew from the start that she was exceptional.

“My first impression was that she was energetic, passionate, caring, and intelligent . . . . She is so articulate and able to fully engage in all the things that she does. She goes out of her way to befriend people, say hi, and to learn about them as much as let them know who she is and what she is about” VanOsdol said.

One of the many, meaningful connections she’s made was with her first-year roommate Valentina Muraleedharan.  Muraleedharan is a senior at Gustavus and one of Adwoa’s closest friends.

“She is somebody who believes if you want to change the world you have to be the one to implement . . . she is definitely a doer,” Muraleedharan said.

Adwoa is appreciative towards the impact Gustavus has had on her.

“It has changed the way I see my peers, the way I view my world, my faith, and my home community . . . it is endless,” Adwoa said.

Her outlook on campus and our community is something worth hearing.  She believes that a “Gustie” is not someone you can define.

“It’s our differences that make us Gusties and through that comes something great,” Adwoa said.

Adwoa has had an equal impact on the lives of those she has met as the Gustavus community has had on hers.

“She taught me how to be a Gustie and my Gustavus wouldn’t be the same without her,” Muraleedharan said.

Adwoa began her career at Gustavus as a Physics major, but since then has changed to a Sociology/Anthropology major.  It was during her junior year that she realized she wanted to work with people, out in the world and make a difference. As of now, Adwoa’s plans for the future include a myriad of things. Graduate School, non-profit work, and travel are but a few of the things she wants to accomplish in life.

The bottom line is, “I want to be doing whatever it is I want to,” Adwoa said.

In whatever profession Adwoa goes into, she will stand out and impact the lives of others the way she has here.