Wesleyan Africans Thriving Together (WATT)
Members of the 2024-2025 cohort of the WATT Program and other Wesleyan community members at the Celebration of the African Scholars Program on September 21, 2024
Wesleyan Africans Thriving Together (WATT) is a year-long peer mentorship program that was launched in the summer of 2023. Each year, the program matches members of the new cohort of the Wesleyan African Scholars Program in one-to-one pairings with returning students from Africa. The program aims to support new African Scholars in their transition to Wesleyan and Middletown, provide returning students from Africa the opportunity to guide and mentor a first-year peer, and enable strong community-building within the University's vibrant African community.
In addition to the chance to participate in various WATT events and opportunities throughout the year, mentors and mentees are also part of the International Buddy Program (IBP) as Senior Buddies and Junior Buddies and invited to engage in this companion program. WATT and IBP are planned and coordinated by the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA).
For students interested in getting involved in WATT: If you are a current student who will continue your studies at the Wesleyan campus in the Fall 2025 Semester and would like to serve as a WATT Mentor, please contact OISA in the Spring 2025 Semester for more information about applying. Both international and domestic students who identify as African and are interested in befriending, mentoring, and supporting an incoming African Scholar are encouraged to apply!
Members of the third cohort of the African Scholars Program will be contacted by OISA staff during Summer 2025 and invited to join WATT and be paired with a mentor. For questions about WATT, please send an email to oisa@wesleyan.edu with "WATT inquiry" in the subject line.
African Scholars Student Coordinator
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Leonard Zheve (the/them)
Class of 2027 - Computer Science
Zimbabwe
Read MoreLanguages: English, Shona, and Hindi
Involvement at Wesleyan: Co-President of the African Students Association (ASA), IMS technician, and co-founder of Roots Revival, Wesleyan's natural hair care club
Bio: Hello! My name is Leonard Zheve, from Harare, Zimbabwe, and I use they/them pronouns. I am a sophomore majoring in Computer Science. I work with the OISA as the African Scholars Student Coordinator, facilitating community-bulilding events for Wesleyan's African Scholars Program. Outside of class and work, I am a member of Suya, the Afro-fusion dance group on campus. I love reading books and cooking in my spare time. Feel free to reach out to me at lzheve@wesleyan.edu if you have any questions or concerns.
WATT Mentees - African Scholars
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Providence Mugisha (she/her)
Class of 2028
Rwanda
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, French, Swahili, and English
Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Providence (Provy), and I use she/her pronouns! I am a Freshman intending to major in Physics and probably the IDEAS major or Astronomy. I was born and raised in Rwanda. On campus I am involved in the African Student Association, Wesleyan Christian Fellowship, Traverse Square, and I work at Summerfields. Outside of school I love going for a run, taking pictures, photography, exploring new places, listening to music and watching movies.
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Marc Iradukunda (he/him)
Class of 2028
Burundi
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Kirundi, French, Kiswahili, Kinyarwanda, and English
Bio: I'm Marc from Burundi, the heart of Africa. I like computational Biology and I'm planning to major in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and take a minor in Informatics and Modeling. I'm involved in Wesleyan Period Coalition (WPC) and I love playing basketball and riding a bike. I'm looking forward to meeting many new friends this semester.
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Afia Animah Fosu (she/her)
Class of 2028
Ghana
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Twi and English
Bio: Hi Everyone!! My name is Afia Animah Fosu. I use she/her pronouns. I am a freshman here at Wesleyan with a prospective major in Computer Science and Mathematics. I am from Ghana. On campus, I am in the African Students Association and Code_Wes clubs. Also, I work as an Instructional Media Specialist and a library assistant at Exley Library. Outside of school, I like reading articles from websites (no specifics), writing and watching Instagram reels.
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Ruai Tap Kulang Lulhok (he/him)
Class of 2028
South Sudan
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English, Nuer, and Arabic
Bio: Hello! My name is Ruai Tap, and I am from South Sudan. I am deeply passionate about the intersection of computer science, mathematics, and economics. The ability to leverage technology to change the world and drive economic insights and solutions deeply fascinates me. I aim to combine my analytical skills in those fields to tackle complex, real-world challenges.
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Prince Chitima (he/him)
Class of 2028
Zimbabwe
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Shona, English, French (Intermediate), and Swahili (Elementary)
Bio: Habari gani! :) I am The Prince born and bred in Karoi and Banket in Dzimbadzemabwe. I am thinking of majoring in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry with a minor in Economics. I enjoy watching movies, acting, taking pictures and learning new languages. I find eating to be a chore.
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Deborah Abayie (she/her)
Class of 2028
Ghana
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Twi and English
Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Deborah Abayie, and I go by she/her pronouns. I am a freshman hoping to major in Computer Science and Astronomy, with a minor in Data Science. I grew up in Accra, Ghana. On campus, I am involved in Astrocheers, and I work at IMS and as an Astronomy Public Outreach Assistant (undergrad). Outside of school, I love singing and photography. I want to be part of the WATT program because of the valuable opportunities it offers to help make my journey here at Wes even better.
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Themistocles Ntaganira (he/him)
Class of 2028
Rwanda
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Kinyarwanda and English
Bio: Greetings! My name is Themistocles; I go by Themi. I am an undeclared freshman. I was born and raised in Kigali, Rwanda. On campus, I am involved in the Wesleyan Christian Association and soccer. Outside class, I make portraits and frames for pictures, paintings, and souvenirs. I am also interested in understanding survival crime, the driving forces behind it, and prevention; I get to research it when I am not studying.
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Ahmed Kazadi Kabuya (he/him)
Class of 2028
Zambia
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Bemba, Nyanja, and English
Bio: Hey!!! It’s Ahmed here. I am originally from Congo DR, but born and raised in Zambia, completed high school in South Africa - African Leadership Academy. Right! I am a global student who loves diversity and very passionate about anything physics and mechanics. Outside class I love playing soccer and hanging out with friends.
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Esther Michelle Karungani (she/her)
Class of 2028
Kenya
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Swahili and English
Bio: Hello! I'm Esther Michelle, and I come from Kenya. I use she/her pronouns. I have a deep academic passion for Chemistry and Physics. Beyond my studies, I am actively involved in different campus organizations including the Wesleyan Christian Fellowship - this is where I met most of my friends outside of the international student community - Wesleyan K-pop Dance Crew, the Wesleyan American Chemical Society, the African Student Association and I have recently joined the Wesleyan WIS (Women in Science). When I am not studying or being involved in campus activities, I love spending time with my friends, trying new food stuffs, (especially Japanese and Thai cuisine), swimming, watching movies and volunteering.
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Yonathan Abera (he/him)
Class of 2028
Ethiopia
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Amharic and English
Bio: Hello everyone! My name is Yonathan Abera (he/him), and I go by Yoni. I'm a freshman intending to major in Computer Science, with the possibility of a Data Analysis minor. I’m from Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, where I’ve been deeply involved in creating community projects based on sustainable service and computer science expansion. On campus, I’m looking forward to joining service-based clubs and engaging in student associations that celebrate and share my African heritage. Outside of academics, I'm an avid manga and manhwa reader (I have amazing recs), table tennis enjoyer, and experienced food critic.
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Charles Ngesa (he/him)
Class of 2028
Kenya
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English, Swahili, and Luhya
Bio: Habari! I am Charles Ngesa from Kenya, and I plan to major in Computer Science. I am fascinated by technology innovation particularly in AI and Machine Learning (like the recently launched Optimus robot). Outside of class, I enjoy making new friends (I ask a lot of questions during meet-ups), reading books, and watching soccer. I joined WATT since it offers a broad spectrum of meaningful friendships and networks with people whom you share almost similar backgrounds.
WATT Mentors
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Naomi Ivie (she/her)
Class of 2027 - Economics and Computer Science
Nigeria
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English, French, Korean, and Yoruba
Bio: Hi! My name is Naomi Ivie, and I am a sophomore from Nigeria studying Economics and Computer Science. I hope to start a business one day, and I am excited to explore career pathways through finance and consulting. On campus, I'm part of the Wesleyan International Speakers Program (WISP), Wesleyan Investments Group, Wesleyan Women in Finance, and Consulting Pathways club. I also love to sing in my free time, and I dance as a board member of Wesleyan's African Dance Troupe, SUYA (you should join!). Outside of those, I work at the library and also as a Community Advisor on campus. I love getting to know my residents and being a resource to them during their undergraduate experience! I love to get to know people, so feel free to reach out! Good luck, and hope to see you soon!
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Allan Cheruiyot (he/him)
Class of 2027 - Computer Science and IDEAS or Astronomy
Kenya
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English, Swahili, Kipsigis (and some related dialects), and Sheng' Creole.
Bio: My name is Allan. I am a sophomore interested in pursuing CS and probably the IDEAS major or Astronomy. At Wesleyan, I am helping one of the most amazing professors I've met as she creates a new digital course. Outside school, I'm learning night sky photography, and piano (maybe drums or guitar later?). I LOVE planes and usually pass time with flight sims, which are really cool. I might get into plane spotting.
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Holiness Igiraneza (she/her)
Class of 2027 - Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, minor in Chemistry
Burundi
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Kirundi, French, Kinyarwanda, English, and Swahili
Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Holiness Ange Igiraneza and I use she/her pronouns! I am a sophomore. I plan to major in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. On campus, I am involved in the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB), Wesleyan International Speakers Program (WISP), Wesleyan refugee project, and Suya (African dance club). Outside of school, I love dancing, and hanging out with friends. I want to be part of the WATT program because I want to have people with similar backgrounds to guide me through the college life and maybe help others later.
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Ama Agyakomah Agyeman Tuffour (she/her)
Class of 2026 - Psychology, minor in Global Engagement
Ghana
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English, Twi, and French
Bio: My name is Awurama Tuffour. I'm a junior. I'm studying psychology and global engagement. I'm particularly interested in decolonization in Sub-Saharan Africa through educational curriculum reform. I am also the co-president of the African Students Association and SUYA. I love love love music and dancing! My headphones and my speaker are my most cherished possessions.
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Abdiasis Daauud (he/him)
Class of 2027 - Computer Science, minor in Data Analysis
Somaliland
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Somali and English
Bio: Hi everyone, my name is Abdiasis Daauud and I go by Siiso. I am a sophomore with an interest in the Computer Science major. I grew up in Somaliland and came to the States for the last three years of high school. I love playing soccer, running and coding on my own.
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Tihitina Gebeyehu (she/her)
Class of 2027 - Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, minor in Economics
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Amharic and English
Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Tihitina, and I use she/her pronouns! I am a sophomore intending to major in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. I was born and raised in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. On campus I am involved in women in finance, ISAB, WISP, and I work at Summerfields. Outside of school I love watching K-dramas and writing poetry.
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Lois Amponsah (she/her)
Class of 2027 - Neuroscience and Economics, minor in Global Engagement
Ghana
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English, French, and Twi
Bio: Hi, my name is Amponsah Lois Antwiwaa and I use she/her pronouns. I am a sophomore and planning to major in Neuroscience and Economics with a minor in Global Engagement. I grew up in Ejisu- Abenase in Ghana. On campus I am involved in Wes Entrepreneurs Club and Neuro Club. Outside of school I love writing and implementing projects as a founder of a philanthropist. I want to be part of the WATT program because of the great mentorship and the love from the community.
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Oladele Jimoh (he/him)
PhD Student - Chemistry
Nigeria
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Yoruba and English
Bio: Hello! My name is Oladele Jimoh. I am a PhD student focusing on non-ribosomal targets for aminoglycoside antibiotics. Originally from Ogun State, Nigeria, I am now a WATT mentor! I'm committed to embracing the diverse cultures at Wes and serving as a guide when called to action. Outside my research, I enjoy traveling, bowling, and swimming. I aim to contribute to scientific advancements in antibiotic research while supporting other scholars in their academic and personal growth.
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Venessa Ochieng (she/her)
Class of 2026 - Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, minor in African Studies
Kenya
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: English, Kiswahili, and Dholuo
Bio: Hi everyone! My name is Venessa. I am a sophomore majoring in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. I grew up in Kenya. Outside of school, I love making desserts, doing jigsaw puzzles and running.
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Marthal Aderibigbe (she/her)
Class of 2027 - Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, minor in Chemistry and College of East Asian Studies
Nigeria
Read MoreLanguages Spoken: Yoruba, English, and Korean
Bio: Hi! My name is Marthal Aderibigbe. I am from the Giant of Africa, Nigeria!!! I am currently a sophomore. I plan on majoring in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry with a double minor in Chemistry and the College of East Asian Studies. I am involved in ASA (African Student Association), SUYA, and KDC on campus. During my free time, I love watching kdrama and sleeping.