Jasmine Ogochukwubianim (Biani) Isibor
Jasmine Ogochukwubianim (Biani) Isibor, a native of Lagos, Nigeria, took a bold and unusual step preparing for professional life in computer networks and systems by selecting Ferris State University as her learning destination.
“I began my research while I was in tertiary education in Lagos and found that Ferris had the curriculum I was interested in,” Isibor said. “I did not really develop a variety of choices because I liked everything the CNS program offered, so I enrolled, was accepted, packed my bags and arrived in Big Rapids late in January 2019.”
As she prepares to receive her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Networks and Systems from the College of Engineering Technology, on Saturday, May 6, Isibor reflects on those first days and weeks at the university. Isibor made her first trip to Michigan with her mother, where she quickly encountered and responded to significant challenges brought on by a new campus and continent. Lagos is the most populous metropolitan area in Africa, with over 13 million residents, while census totals for Big Rapids and Mecosta County number in the tens of thousands.
“The timing of my arrival meant I could not experience orientation. I know I felt a bit shy,” Isibor said. “I messaged a girl who was supposed to be my roommate, though we both found later we would have our own rooms in the residence hall. I was getting nervous about what to expect, but Keyta Veasey sent me a text, asking me to meet her at The Rock. As they say, ‘the rest is history.’ Keyta really took me for who I was, showing me love which really helped me to get comfortable on campus and grow.”
Building a network of friends was gradual, while Isibor learned more about the university, its resources and herself as a college student.
“I am sure that my accent was something people had to get used to; I felt a bit of culture shock,” Isibor said. “Sometimes I questioned my decision to come so far to an unfamiliar place, so building my circle of friends helped me to feel comfortable on campus and at Ferris in general.”
Isibor said as the oldest daughter in her family and being a child of college-educated parents, focusing on her academics early was second nature.
“My background meant that I had no choice but to pursue excellence. I was raised in a very competitive environment,” Isibor said. “Part of making a move across the world for my education was meant to challenge myself to learn, life experiences and personal growth. Coming to Ferris increased my capacity to learn, which helped me to become more aware of my feelings and put an emphasis on building my professional self.”
During the 2019-20 academic year, Ferris students were thrust into dealing with the unexpected, as campus operations shut down in March with the COVID-19 pandemic taking hold.
That situation wound up being something of an asset for me,” Isibor said. “I learned how to be more independent. It was not a great joy for my parents. Some of my choices in my first year away were not in line with their ways of thinking. We were able to get past some difficult times and achieve a better understanding of each other. That included realizing I had my point of view and that they were and remain influential in my life. I know they have been and continue to be proud of me.”
Isibor’s academic start at Ferris was splendid, but she said it took an unusual circumstance to grow and gain from her experiences.
“I was able to earn A’s in my general education courses and other early studies,” Isibor said. “Then I encountered problems in an upper-level course and drew my first failing mark. That was really something of a shock, but I saw it as a better learning moment than if I had passed, with a low grade. After that experience, I was ready to ask for help whenever I might need it, which has really been an asset in working to complete the courses required to earn my degree.”
Isibor has spent much of her time since that first trip from Nigeria close to the university and Big Rapids. She completed the necessary coursework for her degree while serving as a student employee in the IT Solutions Center and, until recently, as a fitness student coach with the Student Recreation Center.
“My first year on campus, I was ready for a return to Nigeria,” Isibor said. “As I continued my studies, I was seeking internships, but COVID really complicated my ability to secure an opportunity. That served as another chance to grow because no one likes receiving a rejection letter or email. I believe an internship could be the best path for me to now move on from campus life to becoming a professional, so I am actively pursuing those opportunities. What I have learned at Ferris, both in and out of the classroom, helps me feel confident and ready to succeed wherever I might go.”
Isibor said many experiences with a circle of friends are recorded as a keepsake from
this chapter of her life.
“I feel writing down the good and bad things you experience is valuable, a way to
learn from everything you see and do,” Isibor said. “It was important to find the
people I was comfortable with, not trying to change myself to fit into another person’s
story. I think putting yourself out there while being confident in your abilities
has been the best course I could take here at Ferris.”
As the days dwindle to finals week and commencement, Isibor is excited by the prospect of receiving her diploma and having one of the few cheering sections dominated by international visitors.
“I used all my graduation tickets on family,” Isibor said. “My mother, father, three aunts and an uncle are coming to Michigan for commencement. My mother made that first trip to Big Rapids with me, but my father has never been to this area. They are also very pleased to reach this point in a true family’s journey, a time to recognize that the investment in me and my future is paying off for all of us.”
Considering the milepost that a commencement ceremony represents, Isibor is mindful of her place in her family as the oldest of three girls.
“It brings on a variety of emotions, wondering about what comes next, along with feeling great happiness that I will have my parents here to recognize this accomplishment,” Isibor said. “Though they can’t be part of it in person, this is also a huge thing for my sisters to see that I made it through obstacles and achieved real personal growth. I was not always the best role model for them when I was growing up. I now believe that God has me in a good place to them to be confident and ready to succeed.”
As she looks forward to presenting herself as a college graduate, Biani has her perception of what her Ferris experience means.
“Though my parents both completed higher education in Nigeria, I consider myself a ‘first-generation student,’” Isibor said. “To travel to Ferris and earn this degree, given my background, presented many of the same challenges that others face in becoming the first family member with a diploma. I believe that we both feel a similar pride.”
With a bright future ahead, Isibor took a last opportunity to reflect on four years as a member of the Ferris community and what it has brought her in perspective and growth.
“It is certainly a different lifestyle and scene in Big Rapids compared to what I knew from growing up in Lagos,” Isibor said. “Still, I am so glad I could find my friends and be part of the joy we have had through our experiences. I hope every student is humble enough to seek help when they need it, has the confidence to ‘live their life,’ and strives to make memories of which they can be proud. I feel my future is wherever the Lord takes me, and I look forward to whatever that is for me. I have no worries about where that might be for me.”