Combining a culture with a community

By Kyle Hobstetter on February 23, 2020

Coming from Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale, Md., Victoria Morafa found her community with the school’s African Student Association. 

Through her high school’s organization, Morafa felt she found her niche that fit the traditions her parent taught her, as both her parents were born in Nigeria. 

So when she came to Towson University, she was looking to find the same type of community. That’s why she joined TU’s African Diaspora Club, which celebrates and positively portrays diverse cultures in Africa through academics, community and networking. 

After joining in her freshman year, she’s been part of the ADC for four years now. With graduation right around the corner, she couldn’t picture her college career without her community.

“The ADC is a place that you can come to find community, friends and family,” Morafa says. “And although we are called the African Diaspora Club, anybody of any descent can join. You can learn more about the African culture, as well as portray your cultures, so we can find a happy medium between the two.

“It’s a safe space to be who you are.” 

It was the organization’s Kam Moja program that drew her attention. It's a mentoring program for freshmen, where they get paired with an upperclassman mentor who guides them through their first year at TU. 

Not only was she a mentee, but her sophomore and junior year saw her serve as a mentor and as a member of the ADC’s board. Now in her senior year,  she is now serving as ADC President. 

“My experience in ADC has been remarkable and will be something that I will never forget,” Morafa says. “And just the people that you impact when you’re in a position of leadership goes a long way. 

“There's someone always counting on you to do the right thing or lead them in the right direction. So, it's really rewarding at the end of the day. Even though it can be stressful at times, I feel like in the long run, the reward is worthwhile.”

Along with being a member of the ADC, Morafa has found other ways to get involved on campus. She was a member of the SAGE student success program during her freshman year. She is a member of the Alpha Psi Business Fraternity and she also worked with the English Learning Conversation Partner program[BROKEN LINK].

It was all these encounters that helped her have an “amazing” academic career at Towson University. 

“My experiences at TU are what made it,” Morafa says. “I feel like the organizations that I joined, the clubs and groups are what made my experience good. Had I just stayed in my room, I probably wouldn’t have had the experience that I’ve had.”

Morafa is currently on track to graduate this May with a degree in health education and promotion[BROKEN LINK], with a track in community health.

While she’s learned a significant amount of what happens in health care regarding policy and procedure, Morafa realized she wanted to do something more hands-on. Earlier this year she got certified as a nursing assistant, and after graduation she plans to go back to school with a goal of becoming a pediatric nurse. 

Her goal to be a pediatric nurse has influenced her throughout her time in TU. Not only is she focusing on a health education and promotion degree at TU, as well as becoming a nursing assistant, she’s also working as a teacher’s assistant at the Goddard School in Towson. 

With all these well-rounded experiences, she feels prepared to work with the health of children.

“I feel like the experiences, although they don't tie hand in hand directly, they ultimately tie towards my end goal,” Morafa says. “TU and my major have helped me a lot. I was discouraged in the beginning because it wasn't as hands-on as I wanted it to be. But really — there's hands-on work, but before you get to the hands-on work, you have to know the background work.”

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel’s priorities for Towson University: Diverse and Inclusive Campus.