An international student has spoken of her pride at graduating from Keele University, after seizing her opportunities at Keele and in the wider community.

Abasiama Samuel Asuquo has received her degree in Media, Communications and Creative Practice, having first joined Keele in 2020 through the International Study Centre from her home country of Nigeria.

Within months of arriving in the UK, with no family connections to rely on in the UK, she had to navigate the hardships caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the isolation brought on by lockdown. But despite this adversity she was not deterred and went on to excel herself in her studies.

As well as her academic pursuits, Abasiama has also been an integral part of the community both at Keele and beyond during her time here.

She served as the Student Voice Representative for her English Module in her second year and is currently the Media and Communication Representative on the Student Voice Committee. She is also a Student Ambassador and a member of the Decolonising the Curriculum Committee, aimed at improving students' experiences in the University.

Outside of Keele she conducted an internship with the YMCA in Crewe, where she produced a documentary on the impact of the pandemic on residents, for which she was nominated as a finalist at the National Undergraduate Employability Awards in the ‘Best Intern’ category (2022), all funded and organised through the Student Knowledge Exchange scheme.

She also volunteered for the Keele University partnership with the Caribbean Elective: Project Anse-La-Raye competition, also organised through Student Knowledge Exchange, working to devise a unique solution to reduce poverty in Anse-La-Raye, St Lucia. Her team made it as finalists, and she has since been invited to visit St Lucia by the High Commission.

Abasiama said: “Trials give birth to something new, and it is up to you to make it worth the trial. Embrace the first step, and watch yourself soar.”