Sankofa Welcome event celebrates ASU's incoming Black scholars
Elroie Mewael Addis (center), an international first-year Sun Devil studying business, poses with her family after an early move-in to her new Tempe home in ASU's Hassayampa residence hall. Photo by Kaitlyn Beickel
By Brooke Potvin
On Aug. 14, incoming first-year students and their families who are a part of the Sankofa Leadership Institute gathered in Tempe for Sankofa Welcome, marking the beginning of their academic journey at Arizona State University.
Students accepted into Sankofa received priority access to campus facilities, class enrollment and an early move-in to on-campus residential communities. However, the benefits extend far beyond this.
Sankofa supports Black students throughout their entire college experience at ASU by providing them with professional development resources, workshops and a sense of community.
Nia Heckler, an ASU student and assistant director of Sankofa, provided a warm welcome for the Sankofa scholars and their families at the event.
“The fact that you are here right now and in this esteemed program is an accomplishment in itself,” Heckler said.
She explained the meaning of Sankofa, saying, “This name comes from the Akan West African word meaning ‘looking backward to move forward,’ but also known as ‘go back and get.’”
As one of 24 member organizations supported by the Black African Coalition at ASU, Sankofa assists students with their transition from high school to college by encouraging a dynamic group environment.
Blessing Fraser, a facilitator at the Sankofa Institute, said that the facilitators help incoming Sun Devils adjust to a new environment that can be overwhelming at times.
“We get to show students all the experiences we have, introduce them to new things and basically get them settled for a big upcoming school year,” she said. “I've lived (here) my whole freshman year so now I’m here to take all the experiences that I had and give it to the new freshman.”
Additional speakers at the Sankofa Welcome included student and Sankofa Director Donovan Drummer, who encouraged Sankofa scholars to engage in all that Arizona State University offers for Black students.
Kenja Hassan, assistant vice president, talked about the history of the Black community at ASU, urging students and their families to seize the many opportunities that earlier Black generations have paved the way for.
Elroie Addis, a Sankofa scholar and incoming first-year student in the W. P. Carey School of Business who is studying business on the pre-law track, shared what she is looking forward to in the upcoming year.
“I’m excited to meet people; it’s a new country for me. … Being given the opportunity, as well, in this specific program to meet people that I have something in common with — I’m excited for that,” Addis said.
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