For senior Angela Aifah, UGA was not her first choice. Her parents picked the university for her because her brother had attended, but now she holds a fondness for her experience here. In her time at the university, she has become a leader in the Model United Nations program and the Model African Union program. She has been a member of the UGA Black Affairs Council since she was a freshman, and she worked as an intern for District Attorney Ken Maudlin. After graduation, she wants to take a year off and then go to law school.
Hometown:
Accra, Ghana
High School:
Dunwoody High School, Atlanta, Georgia
Degree objective:
Bachelor of Social Work with a Spanish minor
Expected graduation:
May 2005
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
I have had the honor of participating in the National Model African Union simulation in Washington, DC for the past three years as well as the South Eastern Model African Union regional simulation for two years. After participating in the regional simulation, I became the Treasurer for the South Eastern Model African Union UGA-Chapter Club. Also, I was a participant in UGA’s Pre-Law Shadowing with Georgia Legal Services Program. Since freshman year, I have been a member of the Black Affairs Council and for the past two years, I have served as the Secretary. Moreover, I am a member of UGA’s Undergraduate Mock Trial Team and the Committee for Black Cultural Programs. Another highlight would be when I interned at the District Attorney, Ken Mauldin’s office for a summer. I have also made the Dean’s List for several semesters.
Current Employment:
I am currently employed at Russell Hall as a Desk Assistant. My duties include serving as the first point of contact for UGA residents and their parents and conducting general front desk operations. I also work at the Student Learning Center as an Administrative Office Student Assistant. My duties at the SLC include performing Administrative support and clerical serves for the SLC library Staff. I am also an intern at the Department of Family and Children Services. At DFCS, I work alongside a Case Manager in the Child Protective Service – Ongoing Unit to assist clients on their case plans.
Family Ties to UGA:
I have the BEST family in the world! Being that I am the youngest of five, my family has had a definite influence on me in every aspect of my life. Overall, I have two brothers, two sisters, and the best parents a girl could ever ask for! I am blessed enough to be able to talk to either my parents or any one of my siblings about any and everything.
I chose to attend UGA because…
UGA was the only school I applied to because it was already established by my family that I would be coming here since my brother came here as well. Initially, I was not very excited about their decision because I had my heart set on going out of state for college. Nonetheless, with some time I have come to appreciate my experience here and I will always look back on my memories at Georgia with much fondness.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
…mingling with the faculty and staff that I know. Considering the fact that I am the youngest out of five, I am accustomed to being in the company of elders. So whenever I get the chance, I am always in someone’s office chit-chatting away! I basically to talk to them about everything under the sun – from the weather to issues on campus. And when time permits I love walking the campus on a nice day!
When I have free time, I like…
…to hang out with friends, catch up on my sleep, and enjoy some time to myself by either reading or listening to music. I love attending anything having to do with the arts – concerts, poetry readings, museum exhibits, etc. And unknown to some, the basement of the Main Library is great place to relax because of all the wonderful magazines and newspapers!!
My favorite place to study is…
…the Starbucks in downtown Athens. I love to get a Frappucino, and they play some good music sometimes! I like going to Barnes & Noble as well because of the comfy atmosphere and the access to the books and magazines!
My favorite professor is…
To be honest there are number of professors that fall in this category for me. One would be Akinloye Ojo because he is a great teacher who makes learning fun. His guidance has definitely made my experiences with the Model United Nations more worthwhile. Another would be Tony Artlet because he set the foundation for me as a Social Work student. Also, Lesley Feracho because she made Spanish more interesting.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
…my little brother who passed away almost 15 years ago. I would love to see what kind of young man he turned out to be. He was the most vivacious child! Truth be told, I use to treat him as if he came from my own womb. I loved everything about him from his infectious laughter to his warm hugs.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to…
Like most other students, I would love to travel. There are many places I have not yet seen in the world. Some places in which I am particularly interested include Cuba, Brazil, Haiti, South Africa, Italy, and the list goes on. Also, I would love to bring my father’s dreams to life by building a Bible school in his hometown of Kumasi, Ghana.
After graduation, I plan to…
…take a year off. For this summer I will be working with Lead America, as Team Leader for groups of high school students. Lead America hosts invitational leadership conferences for outstanding students in the U.S. as well as abroad. I will be traveling to Washington, D.C., Boston, San Diego, and possibly New York, to help with several sessions on two topics: Crime Scene Investigation, and Medicine & Healthcare. Once this job is finished, I plan to take the LSAT in October. I would like to go to law school either at Howard, Cornell, Georgetown, or Stanford (just to name a few) and focus on international law.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
I cannot say that there is only one. I will always remember the times when I met some of the esteemed visitors we have had at UGA. I have been lucky to spend time with people like Danny Glover, Nikki Giovanni, and Mary Frances Early. One thing I remember in particular is my brief conversation with Dr. Early. It was so inspiring to be in her presence.
