Olaoluwa Julianah Abejide is a busy woman. Not only is she a professional photographer and a graduate student at Laurentian University, she is also a mother of two.
Abejide completed an undergraduate degree in computer science in 2010 in Nigeria. A few years later, she decided to pursue a Master’s degree and enrolled at LU in 2018.
“Juggling a Master’s program with young children is not a walk in the park,” Abejidge said in a news release from Laurentian. “I thought my story could inspire someone who has given up on their educational goals to go for what they want.”
She recently defended her thesis and will be graduating in the spring of 2024 with a Master’s in Computational Sciences.
That would be an achievement enough for most people, but Abejide has drive. Her passion for STEM began at an early age, she said, and that passion continues to drive her pursuit of higher education. If she was going to achieve her scholastic goals, she also knew it would take some sacrifices, however.
“When I look back at all the sacrifices I made so far, it is painful. I know there is a bigger gain to be had,” Abejide said. “Family is priceless. A career in computer science and Information technology will give me the opportunity to spend more time with my family and get involved with my community in the future.”
As if parenting and pursuing a Master’s weren’t enough, Abejide is also a professional photographer, a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada and an entrepreneur who runs her own photography studio, Julianah Photography.
“I have been able to use photography to bring smiles to people’s faces,” she said. “It is beyond snapping pictures. Photography is about capturing the moments and creating the memories,” said Abejide.
Her future career goal is to become a subject matter expert in information technology, but wherever Abejide lands, her drive and her tenacity to succeed and spread positivity will shine through.
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