Jitte Okagbare - NMU Blog

I decided to come to Northern because I heard great things about the education program and the staff.

I decided to pursue special education because I myself have learning disabilities and had a very difficult time in school. I had several teachers who assumed I was “unteachable” and spent many years sitting in the back of a classroom ignored and hopeless. In my sophomore year of high school, I met a teacher who changed my life. She taught me that I was more than my learning disabilities, and that I was capable of anything. I learned a valuable lesson, that having a learning disability doesn’t mean you’re not smart it just means your brain works differently. I started my high school career with a .08 GPA and graduated with high honors and a 4.0. I want to be the teacher I needed growing up and help children see their full potential. 

Short answer: I want to be the teacher I needed growing up.

A helpful thing I discovered this semester was my peers. Study groups and homework sessions got me through. 

I am involved in the Black student union and it has been the most amazing experience. Through this organization, I was able to find my voice and fight for my community on and off-campus. The most rewarding experience was meeting Professor Hanson and working with the criminal justice department to add a Black Lives Matter flag in their display window. 

My plan after graduation is to first take a much needed vacation, then find a teaching position in an underdeveloped district and help as many students as I can. 

My advice for incoming students is to find a community. College can be overwhelming and finding a space where you feel comfortable to be yourself will make a world of difference. 

Coming to Marquette was definitely a culture shock. I am from a diverse city and moving here was an adjustment to say the least. It was difficult feeling like an outsider but through BSU I was able to find community.