Competence + Warmth

Typical January day in Minnesota: 20 degrees.

Typical January day in Cameroon: 92 degrees.

No wonder UND junior Malika Achingale Barbie Odera shivered when she recalled her 2017 move from Cameroon to Brooklyn Park, Minn.

“It was a shock, coming from a very hot and humid country,” Malika said with a laugh, remembering her first Minnesota winter. “You think you can wear just one jacket and be good. But the cold is still penetrating!”

Luckily, Malika discovered that it isn’t always that cold, and that dressing in layers isn’t the only secret to warmth in the North Country. Another is finding a place where people care about you and help you grow.

And that, she said, is the kind of warmth she has encountered at UND.

“My professors are very accessible; they’re so easy to approach,” she said.

“Even President (Andy) Armacost, you always see him. He walks up to you and says ‘Hi.’

“That shows how everyone is involved and active, and it makes you really happy to be at UND.”

The University’s concern also shows up in other ways, Malika said. For example, “I really like how UND is always sharing opportunities with students through newsletters, emails, and so on.

“They are always listing opportunities for students,” she said, including activities such as career fairs. At the fairs, “there are lots of great employers; and that’s UND, working hard and providing resources for students to succeed.”

Read more of Malika’s story here.