Name: Foluyinka Fakoya
Class: 2014
Hometown: Warri, Nigeria
High School: Homeschooled
Major: Economics and Sociology; and currently completing the Five College International Relations certificate
How did you find out about Amherst? What influenced your decision to come here?
I found out about Amherst on the internet. I was randomly looking at the US college rankings and found this liberal arts college. Interestingly enough, my last choices came down to Amherst and Williams. I really liked the Five College system and financial aid was great. I didn’t know much about Amherst at the time but I met an Amherst alum at my church in England and she told me she loved it; that sort of sealed the deal for me.
Tell us a bit about where you’re from:
I feel like I don’t have a hometown. I’d say my hometown is Kaduna, where I was born, but we moved from there when I was six so I don’t know. At the moment my family lives in Warri, in the south of Nigeria. We lived in Kaduna for 6 yrs. We left Kaduna in the middle of the religious riots and we moved to Abuja where we lived for 2 years. Then we moved to Manchester in England for 2 years and then we moved to Watford where we lived for 3 years. Our last move was to Warri in Nigeria in 2006.
You were homeschooled. Tell us more about that?
My homeschooling was different in the sense that it was not my parents teaching me but I was also not following a specific program. My dad, who is an engineer, is super interested in supplementary education and so when we moved to Nigeria it was a good way to put all his theories into practice. I had tutors for some subjects and the rest of the subjects entailed going through the material by myself and having regular meetings with my dad discussing the work and how I was feeling. He has a close friend that owns a secondary school and he would use her tests to test my brother and I. We would sometimes be taking classes at the level higher than the class that we were in and it all seemed to work out.
I’m sure everyone has noticed the beautiful dresses you wear around campus. Is there a reason you wear them?
I get my dresses made at home. I probably have about 15 -20. I wear them because I love them. At home I wear them a great deal. I guess when I first came; I wasn’t sure how people would perceive them but I got more comfortable as time passed. I just really like wearing them. I’m also really excited because I’m getting skirts made for the winter.
Ideal Date:
I think something activity driven would be nice so that you don’t have to be talking to each other all the time; or you can talk about what you doing so that it’s not awkward.
If You Could Have One super power what would it be?
Sometimes I think I’d like to read people’s minds…
Dream Job:
I don’t know what it is but it would involve a lot of travelling and staying in fancy hotels.
Extra-Curriculars :
ISA- I used to be co-chair, CCE, MRC and I have 3 jobs
Craziest thing you’ve ever done?
When I was little I ate a whole package of vitamin C tablets.