BAME: Meet our advocate Adaora

Hello, my name is Adaora! I’m a final year PhD student from Hertfordshire Law School (HLS) and I’m also a BAME advocate here at Herts.

Being a woman of African descent, I have experience of what it means to be amongst some of the most marginalised and disadvantaged groups. Notwithstanding, I have always stood out amongst my peers even at an international level - and as a result, I applied for the position of BAME advocate to share my story in the hopes of motivating members of the BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) community. 

As a student who avoided opportunities out of fear of being judged and a lack of faith in the possibilities of the options available, one of my primary goals is to provide a space where BAME students can voice their concerns without fear of being judged. I’m pleased to serve as the liaison between students and lecturers, especially given the presence of mature students among us.

One of my first missions will be to collaborate with my School and the school community organisers (SCOs) to enhance the student experience and participation across HLS.
As an alumnus and a final-year postgraduate research student, I’ve had the great opportunity to experience the diverse ecosystem built here at the University. I admire that the University of Hertfordshire is making further strides to extend the diversity quota of the BAME community and its general efforts for inclusivity.

Through this opportunity, I’m looking forward to being a part of a team that works on spurring the BAME community to aspire to the limitless prospects that a career in academia, as well as other fields provide. I also hope to contribute to the advocacy of students of ethnic minority descent whenever they need support and provide encouragement so others can aspire to greatness.

As a recipient of a fully funded scholarship by the University for my postgraduate research programme, this is not the only way I hope to give back by being an ambassador for the University. I’m also aiming to inspire every BAME community member to know that it’s possible to accomplish anything that we set our minds to and to know that the University is always willing to provide us with the necessary assistance to power our potential. To contact a BAME advocate, please email studentsuccess@herts.ac.uk