Halifax student advisor uses her six university degrees to inspire Black youth

If you need motivation for a mid-winter slump, look no further than Oluronke Taiwo.

The Black student advisor at Dalhousie University and University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia has six degrees, two of which are masters. She earned the degrees while working full time, attending school full time and raising three children.

“When my students come to me, … when they are frustrated and say ‘Oh, I can’t do this,’ I sit with them and I use my own personal experience to let them know that they can do it,” Taiwo says. “If you put your mind on something, you will succeed.”

Taiwo, once a professor at the College of Medicine in Lagos, Nigeria, moved to Halifax in 1998 with an educational background in biology, microbiology and parasitology. She was part of a research team at Dalhousie University’s Dental Centre, examining the benefits of Nigerian chewing sticks, wooden sticks derived from certain trees that contain natural antibiotics, fluoride and anti-cavity ingredients. The United Nations funded her research.

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When the grant was finished, Taiwo found herself out of a job with a young family to support. She found work as a personal care assistant and from there, was promoted to manager.

“That was where my interest (in social work) started,” she says. “I decided to go back and do both my bachelor of social work and master’s in social work while still working as the manager of the home.”

Taiwo graduated from the Master of Social Work program at Dalhousie University in 2008. Since then, she has been the Black Student Advisor at the university, where she acts as an academic advisor to students of African descent. She provides support through advocacy, mentorship programs and counselling if the students are experiencing difficult personal and scholastic situations.

“My main role is to support all students of African descent to ensure that they are successful,” Taiwo says.

“My goal is to ensure that all Black students succeed.”

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Taiwo is also an active member of the Association of Black Social Workers and the Dalhousie Black Faculty and Academic Staff Council. Part of her mentorship program connects the students she counsels with Black faculty members and Black professionals so the students can network and seek advice on their future careers.

Not only does Taiwo encourage her students to be mindful of their own academic world, she also inspires them to be mindful of the world around them. Recently, her students participated in celebrations surrounding Martin Luther King Jr. Day, African Heritage Month, and a discussion on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

“I … promote wellness and also experiences outside the class,” she says. “I do this through having different bi-monthly birthday, graduation, and scholarship receptions and … public activities to allow students to … be able to join together and tell how they feel, concerning what is going on in the world.”

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