My name is Hannah Momoh, and I was born in 1999 in Liberia during the middle of a war. My mother took my siblings and me from Liberia to a refugee camp in Sierra Leone, which is where I lived my early years. During the war, there was a tuberculosis pandemic in which my father passed away. I never got to meet him. 

When I was six or seven years old, while we were still living in the camp, my mother also passed away. The oldest sibling among the five of us was about 13 years old. We had no parents to care for us and no home. For a couple years, we lived in a warehouse or shelters made of mud without much clothing or food. Most people in the area would buy land and farm and harvest rice. But we were so young, and because we were outside our country, we were not able to farm. Luckily, a few women took us under their wings to take care of us. We called them our aunts. 

Since my older sister is deaf, we were able to qualify to come to America through a foster refugee program. It took a couple years to complete the necessary paperwork. People from my country will do anything to come to America — to us, it was the dream land. We came when I was nine or ten, and all five of our siblings had the unique opportunity to go to the same foster home. Each of my three older siblings aged out when they turned 21, and then it was my turn, and my little sister’s. 

Getting used to living in America was a challenge. I had gone to school in Africa until the fourth grade, but I didn’t know how to speak English. I cried every single day in school because I didn’t know how to read, I didn’t know how to write, and I couldn’t understand the teacher. I didn’t know how to make friends in such a different culture and with the language barrier. But I can honestly say that my whole life I have been truly blessed. I believe that God has never let me walk alone. I always had some sort of mentor. So many people supported me in school and in my efforts to learn. Even during the school breaks, I had teachers who were willing to show up at the school, sit with me, and teach me how to read and write. 

When the time came, I knew for sure I wanted to go to college. Education is one of the things I absolutely love because I understand the importance of it. And a lot of refugees have a goal to gain an education and go back home to help their family members. So that’s been my goal ever since I came here.

In high school, I wanted to go to Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), since I imagined starting with a community college and transferring somewhere would be cheaper. But eventually, I decided to apply for a four-year university. After applying to Utah Valley University (UVU), they sent me a welcome package, which contained a paper with a quote by Maya Angelou, who I have looked up to and whose work I’ve admired from a young age. The quote was: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” When I opened that letter, I was in awe that one of my favorite writers was being quoted on the paper. I hung it up in my home and read it every single day. It almost felt like a sign, like I belonged at UVU. 

I declared psychology as my major, which I’ve wanted to study since fifth grade. I remember someone mentioning that psychologists help people. At the time, all I knew about psychology was that psychologists helped people, and I was drawn to the field for that reason. Since then, I’ve developed a passion for psychology, especially mental health issues. I now work at a psychiatric clinic and set appointments for psychiatrists. Being in charge of patient intake, I get to hear prospective patients share their reasons for seeking help. My most memorable experiences are when people tell me that I’ve helped them feel comfortable sharing vulnerable experiences. It’s good for them to speak their experiences out loud and realize what they need to work on and what they’ve overcome.

I have an amazing mentor at UVU named Lori Duke, who is the associate director of Marriage and Family Therapy. She has been my mentor since I started school here. There has never been a day that goes by that she doesn’t make sure I’m okay. Last semester I started to struggle with depression and anxiety. But Lori and my professor Dr. Kristopher Kopp recognized that I was struggling and reached out personally. They made sure I was okay until I was able to get the help I needed.

I also appreciate that my professors are willing to meet with me and clarify things I’m struggling to understand. And recently, while meeting with President Tuminez, I discovered that she wants to know how we can bring more diversity to UVU and help people feel more comfortable. It’s all about acceptance and love here. She makes sure that people like me, who seem to be in the background, are really being seen and heard. I have felt that our stories do matter to UVU. And I was right — I did choose the right school! It’s been such a great journey here.

I have an older sister still in Africa. She is 24 or 25. She can’t read or write, and that breaks my heart. So at this point, I don’t know exactly what I want to do when I graduate, but I do know this: I have a strong desire to somehow help educate people like my sister. Also, I don’t want to ever stop learning. Maybe I’ll travel the world and learn about different cultures. I’m hoping I can go to the Career Development Center, find an internship, and take time to figure out my best fit. Graduate school definitely is on the horizon as well.

Education is something that can never be taken from you. School may not be for everybody, and that’s okay. But the opportunity to learn is always there, so be open to learning. Be open-minded. Learn about people, their past, their stories, because everybody has a story that matters.