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International affairs major Bassey Nyambi ’10 (Manassas, Va.) is taking advantage of numerous opportunities provided at Lafayette and beyond. She is currently spending a semester studying in Spain, served a summer internship with Rolls-Royce North America, Inc., and is the president of Efik National Youth Wing, an association for Nigerian youths raised in the United States.
What originally attracted me to Lafayette was its beauty, but I made the final decision to come to Lafayette based on the excellence of its international affairs program. Right now, I am studying abroad in Barcelona. So far, it’s been pretty awesome, and I am taking full advantage of the travel opportunities (Madrid (twice), Paris, London, Stockholm, and Helsinki).
Another great experience was my summer internship in the civil aerospace division of Rolls-Royce North America, Inc. Hosted by Stephen Friedrich ’88, vice president of aftermarket business for corporate and regional engines, I handled the customer aircraft database, keeping track of directors of maintenance for an aircraft and its engines. I also got to work with an international sales team from Rolls-Royce offices in Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, United Arab Emirates, and Brazil, in addition to their United States headquarters in Indiana and Virginia.
I have served as a student representative to the College’s Faculty Committee on Diversity and am currently the second president of the recently formed Efik National Youth Wing, a subsidiary of the Efik National Association, Inc. Named for a prominent Nigerian ethnic-group, the association has more than 500 members and raises funds to support education and various facets of the Nigerian infrastructure.
As a first generation, naturally born American and president of the youth wing, I manage the nationwide youth membership; help raise Efik-culture awareness for Efik-Nigerian youths raised in the U.S.; and coordinate fund-raising initiatives. Every summer, the national association holds an annual cultural event, generating significant proceeds to be sent to Nigeria. This year, the annual, three-day long celebration was held in Atlanta. Our youth wing organized a cultural night and fashion show to help raise money for the senior organization, as well as display our pride in the Efik culture.
With a new MySpace web page and scholarship contest, more youths are getting involved. When I was young, my family traveled to Nigeria. I remember an instant feeling of being at home – everyone seeming to be my aunt or uncle, even if we weren’t related (a matter somewhat confusing to a small child).
Once I graduate from Lafayette, I plan on doing a one-year masters program in international affairs in the United Kingdom and then attend law school. My learning experiences both on and off campus have provided excellent preparation for my future plans – reinforcing both patience and organization (working with over 30 rowdy youths to put together a serious fundraising event is not easy). My communication skills too have progressed; whether I am speaking Spanish abroad or to a Fortune 500 company’s director of aircraft maintenance, I feel better prepared for what is to come after college and in the workforce.