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Of all the students who will walk in Georgia Gwinnett College’s (GGC) graduation ceremony on May 11, it’s safe to say few have traveled farther than Nana Afia Serwaa Oppong to receive her degree.

Oppong grew up in Ghana in West Africa. Her hometown is the small village of Bonwire (pronounced “bon-ray”), where the most popular cloth in Africa, known as “Kente,” originated. According to legend, two brothers from the town learned how to weave the fabric by watching how a spider spun its web. It is a quintessentially African place, scenic and hilly with a vast tropical rainforest running through it. It’s hard to imagine any place being farther from Gwinnett County geographically or culturally – but in 2018 it is precisely where Oppong chose to pursue her education.

“I chose GGC because of its small classroom sizes, which allows the professors to focus on the students’ needs,” said Oppong, who is receiving a degree in criminal justice/criminology with a minor in information technology. She says she chose that major because she has a passion for criminal justice and believes the knowledge she’s gained will help her change the criminal justice system.

“When you step into a new environment, everything looks new,” said Oppong. “At the start of my academic journey at GGC, I realized the weather, the accents, the style of dressing, the food and the mannerisms of the people were starkly different from what I was used to.”

Oppong knew right away that building relationships with classmates would be essential to success as an international student. Fortunately, that proved to be an easy task at GGC, which has one of the most ethnically diverse student bodies in the nation.

It started on her first day of classes.

“My very first class was English. We did introductions, and everyone immediately became curious and wanted to know more about each other,” said Oppong. “I was not an exception, so as new faces drew closer to know more about me, I did the same. After English class, I went into a technology class and realized that I shared the same culture and background as my professor! I started to feel at home, even though I was 1,000 miles away from Ghana.”

Oppong was booking a long-awaited trip home after the spring 2020 semester when the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down.

“There was news that the virus would not go away anytime soon,” she recalled. “America being a leader in many issues around the world, I felt it was safer to stay here. I thought about my family back home day in and day out. It was hard, but we made it through.”

Oppong says her professors at GGC have been a significant part of her journey, notably Dr. Patrice Morris, associate professor of criminal justice and criminology, who stood out to her as a mentor and pushed her to be the best version of herself.

Oppong said there are a few things she’d say to her younger self if she had the opportunity:

“Do not let where you come from be a barrier to you, and do not be afraid to try new things. Do not be afraid to ask questions because it is through those answers you will find your way. Use your degree to define who you are, what you can achieve and the places you can go. Let your hunger and passion to achieve greater things drive you forward!”

After graduation, Oppong plans to work in the forensic field and further her education.

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