Byline: Fallon Bourgeois
Photos: Danny Abriel

Sinmisade Ayantoye’s mother was instrumental in her decision to come to Dal and confident her daughter would find the support she needed to succeed.

It takes strength and confidence to move to a new country and pursue an education at a university you’ve barely heard of. And sometimes you also need a nudge. That was true for first-year student Sinmisade Ayantoye who credits her mother’s innate ability to trust that “things would work out” as key to her decision to study at Dalhousie.

Born and raised in Nigeria, the eldest of four female children raised by a single mother, Sinmisade had reservations about studying in Canada. She feared that without financial support, her education would burden her family.

“My acceptance to Dalhousie came in February [of 2017]. I continued to consider other schools, mostly in the United States, because I was focused on receiving a scholarship,” she says.

“But my mother wanted me to study in Canada and said not to worry about finances; she felt things would work out as they should.” Thus began her studies at Dalhousie.

In October Sinmisade received an email stating she was the recipient of a Slaight Family Foundation Scholarship for African Students. She could hardly believe her eyes. Before she allowed herself to get too excited, she promptly went to the Awards’ Office for confirmation.

The next thing she did was phone her mother. “I didn’t see it coming, but my mom did,” says Sinmisade with a smile as she recalls the moment.

The financial reassurance of the scholarship has helped her settle into her new community and focus on her studies in the medical sciences program. “When the financial burden is lifted, you are open to new possibilities.”

For her that means approaching her learning with the same inquisitive nature that she’s had throughout her life. “I’ve always enjoyed figuring out how things work and what the origins are,” she says.

While she feels the field of medicine is the right fit to fuel her curiosity, Sinmisade hopes that through her education, she can also make a difference in Africa. “Health care in Nigeria is an issue,” she says somberly. “There are a lot of people who want to make a difference, but they don’t know how.”

Eventually Sinmisade hopes to help deliver better service to her fellow Nigerians and empower those who work in health care. While she has a long road ahead, she feels confident she will succeed.