08/13/2014
Thank You Boston College for this mention!
A big red arrow. Blinking neon signs. A megaphone. What does it take to get noticed?
For today's , we bring you an alumna who has been trying to find the answer for most of her life: Vienna Mbagaya '06.
At the age of 14, Vienna moved from Kenya to the suburbs of New Jersey and suddenly found herself invisible. "I'd sit in the school bus at the end of the day astonished to realize that I had not spoken nor had a word been spoken to me for a whole day," she remembers. Very slowly, with the encouragement of caring teachers, she began to feel connected to her new country.
However, it was at Boston College, where she pursued biology, that Vienna truly thrived. As a member of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, Vienna completed two independent research studies and saw her first publication before graduation. She has since earned her masters’ degree in public health and conducted research in a number of organizations concerning HIV/AIDS, malaria, social behavioral health and military psychological health.
In 2013, Vienna launched The Invisible Neighbors to showcase the role of immigrants in the community and the American workforce, telling stories about journeys which often go untold and unseen. The Invisible Neighbors has since evolved into a campus speaking tour that explores the cultural identity conflicts experienced by millennial immigrants and first generation American students.
We are indeed very proud of Vienna's inspiring story. You can support her efforts by visiting: theinvisibleneighbors.com
Do you know an ? Tell us here: http://bit.ly/1lkc2AM
