As a successful college student at Germanna, Havilah Akinyemi is living out not only her personal dream, but her father’s dream of pursuing a degree.
A strong influence on her decision to further her education, Havilah’s parents are her biggest motivation for succeeding in her future.
Growing up in Africa, Havilah found it difficult keeping up in her classes.
“In Africa, the learning environment is fast paced,” Havilah says. “Teachers want you to understand topics and lessons on their own timeline, and they don’t give you the chance to catch on.”
As a result, Havilah found herself falling behind and not understanding the lessons she was being taught.
When her parents divorced, her education was derailed even further.
“My father and birth mom got divorced when I was young, leaving just me, my dad, and my younger brother.”
Transitioning to a one-parent household was a culture shock for Havilah and her family, as her father was now left to raise two small children on his own.
“As a single father, my dad had to do it all. I witnessed him go through great lengths just to put food on the table,” she recalls.
Her tumultuous home environment coupled with her frustrations with learning at school resulted in Havilah feeling overwhelmed, unsure of where to turn.
But when her father decided to move the family to the United States in 2017 to pursue better opportunities, Havilah’s whole life would change.
“Coming to America was like a fresh start,” she says.
A seventh grader when she arrived in the U.S., Havilah’s family settled in Maryland, moving to Fredericksburg a year later after her father met someone and got remarried.
“When my now mother came into my life, she was a mother to me in all the ways that counted,” says Havilah. “Though she didn’t give birth to me, she was there to reassure me that I was making the right choices and continues to be a huge motivation for me. When we moved to Fredericksburg, my family was doing better, and I started to do extremely well in school.”
Havilah noticed how in the U.S., her teachers seemed to have more patience with her, walking her through how to complete different tasks and assignments—something she wasn’t accustomed to back in Africa.
“I realized that I wasn’t a difficult student. I just needed to work at a slower pace.”
After finding her footing in middle school and excelling in her classes, Havilah was ready to challenge herself in high school. She decided to sign up for the international baccalaureate program at Spotsylvania High School, a program that offers advanced, college-level coursework to help students develop future-ready skills. Those classes pushed Havilah, helping her achieve a level of success she’d never reached before.
After graduating high school in 2023, Havilah knew her next step would be to attend college. But she wasn’t sure where she wanted to go until talking to her parents.
Today, Havilah is in her second year at Germanna as an international business management major. And she has truly found her place.
At Germanna, she serves as the Vice President of the Student Government Association, and she is a member of Germanna’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, among numerous other campus clubs.
One of her proudest achievements at Germanna thus far is being able to pay her own way through school, thanks to scholarships and resources provided by her work-study role at the College.
Havilah is a work-study for the College’s Marketing & Recruitment team, where she helps the recruiters prepare for outreach events and gives campus tours to prospective students.
“With this role, I’m able to meet a lot of new students and talk to them from a student perspective,” she says. “I make an effort to give them advice on how to be successful here.”
As Havilah heads into her last year at Germanna, she is hopeful for her future and excited to take the next step in her journey.
“After I graduate in May 2025, I plan to transfer to Howard University and someday have hotel franchises all over the world,” Havilah says.
And most of all, she hopes to continue making her biggest supporters proud.
Very proud of you Havilah…
Very proud of you Havilah. Your hard work and dedication in the recuitment office is top notch! Your tenacity, wit, and kindness make a huge impact on the recruitment team. THANK YOU!
We are all so proud of your accomplishments. It takes perseverance, a lot of hard work, and sheer determination to accomplish such goals, keep up the great work. You are an inspiration to us all. Wishing you even more success in the future!