Fortress Okorie

My name is Fortress, and I was born and raised in Nigeria. I have since had the opportunity to live in India, Thailand, and now in the US. I have been thinking about inclusivity, diversity, equity, and access in many different contexts for almost seven years, including leading initiatives to expand education access to rural and marginalised communities in my home country of Nigeria, working to expand education access for refugee communities in southern Thailand, and working with organizations helping rehabilitate victims of human trafficking. It seemed a natural extension then to try and understand and improve the experiences of individuals from minority identities trying to succeed in fields of study in which they are traditionally underrepresented. I am especially interested in supporting communities of colour and international students in breaking down barriers to their learning and success here at St. Olaf. Please feel free to stop me whenever you want to share your thoughts or ask questions about anything, anytime!