An interview with Amarachukwu Iyke-Uzonwa ’25.
What are the most impactful things you have done over the last four years?
I served as a Campus Ambassador for prospective Simmons students. It has been a joy giving tours and showcasing Simmons University. There is always pride and gratitude when I hear from current students that I was their tour guide and [was] part of the reason they committed to Simmons. I consider it impactful to simply connect with prospective students, especially BIPOC students, and show them the Simmons experience in the best way that I can.
Please tell us about your experience as a first-generation college student.
I am proudly a first-generation college student and an international student. Being an international student and a first-generation college student is such a bittersweet experience. I am thankful to my parents for their support and motivation, but it gets lonely being so far from home. It was challenging to navigate the US college, research, graduate, and workplace systems by myself. However, this gave me the chance to learn how to advocate for myself, seize the opportunities I can, leverage resources from Simmons and through my network, and expand my circles of colleagues and community at Simmons and in Boston at large.
Did your course of study entail any internships?
I completed two internships, one for each of my majors. During my first internship, I worked as a Project Development intern at Sunwealth Power Inc., a clean energy investment firm. I found this through the MassCEC internship program. My second was as a Product Management intern at Digifianz, an Inbound Marketing company, which I found through Associate Professor Masato Aoki, specifically through his connection to a Simmons alum who studied Economics.
What was your favorite Simmons course and why?
That’s a hard one; I have loved most of all my classes. If I had to pick, I would say “International Trade” (ECON 218), taught by Professor of Economics Niloufer Sohrabji, which I took in Spring 2023. In this course, I got to learn about the Resource Curse, which occurs when countries with an abundance of natural resources are unable to utilize their resource endowments effectively, resulting in worse economic growth, democracy, and corruption compared to countries with fewer resources. Growing up as a Nigerian, I pondered why Nigeria, though rich in resources, was not up to par with more developed countries. It was not until I learned the phenomenon of the Resource Curse and Dutch Disease in Professor Sohrabji’s course that I started to understand it better. From this class, I have gone on to conduct research on trade and its impact on Sub-Saharan African countries.
Who was your most inspirational Simmons professor/mentor and why?
Professor Niloufer Sohrabji has been [with me] since the first day I became an official Simmons student. From meeting first as my PLAN (Purpose, Leadership, ActionN curriculum) advisor the summer before college, to serving as my major advisor and mentor, Professor Sohrabji is really the reason I accomplished what I have at the end of this Simmons journey. She encouraged me, motivated me, listened to me, cared for me, and celebrated with me. Professor Sohrabji is also a wonderful, amazing, and knowledgeable professor who cares deeply for her students — I know [this, as] I have taken four classes with her. If I could take more, I would.
How has Simmons prepared you for your career path or intended profession?
I have been awarded the opportunity to present at The Sadie T. M. Alexander Conference for Economics and Related Fields and the PREDOC.org Research Conference, drawing upon the research that I did under the guidance of Professor Sohrabji. Additionally, I will attend Brandeis International Business School this fall to study in their MA in International Economics and Finance program.
How has Simmons taught you to be a leader?
Simmons has taught me not only to pay attention to being a leader from the front, i.e., always being a visible leader with followers. Simmons has shown me that I can be a leader in the communities where I find myself every day, and lead through vulnerability. My supportive mentors have bolstered my confidence, along with honing my communication and collaboration skills. I am definitely ready to lead in the next phase of my journey.
How did you find your community at Simmons?
Finding community at Simmons is as easy as walking up to your neighbor’s room on the residential campus and saying hi. I know that I’m speaking from the perspective of an extrovert! Aside from the dorms, I found community by joining clubs and organizations that spoke to my values, especially Simmons Christian Fellowship (Simmons Cru). My community at Simmons came together because of engaging with classmates, joining Simmons Cru, and walking up to students with whom I was interested in building a friendship, especially at the dining halls (Fens and Bartol).
In your experience, what was the best thing about attending college in Boston?
The best thing is the community you get to build while in college. You can decide to build a religious community, a community of academics, activists, or gamers — anything you want! Every day I am so grateful to God for bringing me to Boston because my community is honestly the only reason why I have made this city my home when it did not feel like home.
What is your favorite Simmons memory?
Every memory where my closest friends at Simmons and I are in a dorm room talking about everything and nothing up until midnight with loud laughter and full hearts.
What advice do you have for current and incoming Simmons students?
Incoming Simmons students, I am so proud of your accomplishments and the fact that you get to join the Simmons legacy. Take it one step at a time, talk to your professors outside of classes, attend office hours, and be open to different experiences and opportunities. Your Simmons journey is yours to take.
Current Simmons students, you have been on the Simmons journey for a while, and it is easy to feel jaded. While classes, clubs, and organizations are important, they are not everything that college is about. Spend time with friends and family if you can, explore the city, take yourself on dates, start to build your network (professors and alums are an easy way to start), and engage in hobbies and communities that bring you joy and life. You will savor the memories you made with professors, friends, and classmates — not necessarily that assignment and lab due at midnight. (Well, that might be etched in your mind for a while).