8,000 miles away from home – Abigail “Ore” Isola’s success story
By: Macie Morgan
International student Abigail “Ore” Isola perseveres through the trials of obtaining a student visa, coming to America 8,000 miles away from home, and achieving her goals.
Isola learned what she wanted to do in life at just nine years old. “My mom usually bought two loaves of bread, but one day she only bought one. My mom said to me, ‘Have you seen the news? The economy is bad.’ I wanted to know more,” Isola said.
This is where Isola yearned to understand the economy, and in the future study economics. However, her path to The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) was rocky.
Isola attended university in her home country of Nigeria. After a year, she decided she wanted to transfer to a college in America. “I took matters into my own hands and applied to 12 schools in America,” Isola said. She succeeded, and decided UAH was her best option.
Isola went to the United States Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, to acquire a student visa during final exam week. Her visa interview was on Jan. 4, 2023, and UAH began its spring semester on Jan. 12, 2023. Isola almost did not get her visa because the consulate believed she would not make it to America in time for the beginning of the semester.
However, Isola persevered again.
She began contacting anyone in the College of Business (COB) at UAH and in the International Affairs office. The first person to respond was COB Academic Advisor Lola Teague.
Teague ensured that Isola was prepared for the spring semester. From helping her with international affairs to creating her class schedule, Teague wanted to guarantee Isola was ready. “It felt like UAH and the COB were ready to embrace me, and it was such a boost to my confidence,” Isola said about Teague’s help.
Once coming to UAH in 2023, Isola started a side hustle as a hair braider, became the administrative assistant for UAH’s Housing Office, paid off some of her parents’ debt, secured an internship with an investment company in Washington, D.C., and joined the Student Government Association (SGA) at UAH. Isola accomplished all this while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Currently, Isola works as the administrative and events coordinator for the I2C at UAH, which she says she is very passionate about. She not only succeeds in school, but also in reaching others going through the same experience as her.
Many international students struggle during the holidays being so far away from home, Isola said. On Thanksgiving in 2023, Isola hosted a lunch for other international students to ensure they felt welcomed and included. She reached out to not only international students at UAH, but also to those at Oakwood and Alabama A&M universities. “The best thing I did in 2023 was create a temporary home for people whose real homes were 8,000 miles away,” Isola said.
Isola accomplished these goals because her parents raised her to believe she could do anything she sets her mind to. She found her purpose at a young age, and works hard to continue to show excellence in everything she does. “I do not think that anyone is ‘born to be a doctor.’ Your experiences will change what your purpose is and how you view the world,” Isola said.
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