Office Hours with Abba Diallo

In this week episode of Office Hours with Abba Diallo, the host interviews Tema Dlamini, a biomedical engineering student, about her transformative journey through higher education and international travel. The conversation highlights Tema’s professional growth working in a campus welcome office, where she found fulfillment in creating a sense of belonging for new students. She reflects on her lea...

This podcast episode features a conversation between our host Abba Diallo and her guest, Sam, focusing on their shared experiences as international students from Africa studying in the United States. They discuss the impact of wealth and class on the college experience, specifically how coming from a single-parent household or receiving a scholarship shapes one’s worldview and social standing. The...

In this episode, our host Abba Diallo sits down with her uncle, Souleymane, to talk about his journey from Burkina Faso to the United States in pursuit of a career in electrical engineering. He shares the realities of studying abroad, navigating language barriers, financial hardship, racism, and loneliness, while working full time to stay in school. This conversation is an honest reflection on the...

This podcast episode features a conversation between our host, Abba Diallo, and her guest, Mar, a creative media production student from Costa Rica. Mar reflects on her personal background, detailing how her parents’ rejection of traditional gender roles inspired her to pursue higher education and the arts. The discussion explores Mar’s academic journey, including her transition from a technical h...

In this podcast episode, host Abba Diallo reunites with high school friend Eva Wynter to discuss her journey from a Jamaican upbringing to her professional life in Minnesota's theater scene. Eva details her academic transition to St. Olaf College, where she leveraged a Shelby Davis scholarship to study sociology, anthropology, and theater with a specific focus on restorative practices and communit...

In this podcast episode , host Abba Diallo interviews her close friend Bethany Sseruwagi, a high-achieving senior at the University of Oklahoma. Bethany reflects on her academic journey, explaining her shift from a pre-med track to microbiology after discovering a passion for research and community health. The conversation highlights the importance of campus involvement, as Bethany discusses her l...