Student Story

My story is not done yet. It has just started.”

Moving away to college can be scary for any young adult. Moving away to college to a country that is over 8,000 miles away from home can be terrifying. Yet, Vheneka Njovana did exactly that.

Vheneka is a sophomore Environment and Sustainability major and a Theatre Arts minor at Catawba. She is a member of the marching band, the ECO Club, and she works in the Ecological Preserve.

Vheneke is from Harare, Zimbabwe. She came to America in December of 2022 to pursue her education. “My first week in America felt surreal. It had not quite registered yet that I had left home to pursue my studies on foreign land. I was faced with culture shock but also the excitement of being somewhere new,” she said.

During her first semester of college, Vheneke faced many obstacles. “My first semester took a toll on me. I was trying to figure out where my classes were, how I was going to make friends, how to use Blackboard, where to go when I needed time off, how to manage my time, and before I knew it, I found myself drowning.”

It's easy to get overwhelmed in college when you have so many different things on your plate. It’s important to know that you have recourses available to you when it all gets to be too much, including your professors. “My FYS professor at the time, Regina Simmons, had talks with me. She consulted me, gave me guidance, and identified some of my strengths. She helped me,” said Vheneke.

“I would also like to acknowledge Kira Harwood and Dr. Andrew Jacobson, who helped me identify the right study method for me, how to navigate my way around campus, and the resources available to me. Not to forget Cathy Green and Sandra Abbey who are still my listening ears when I am in trouble. I would be lying if I said I was completely alone in this journey. As of now, I have realized the importance of reaching out for help and for taking that first step to setting yourself up for success,” she added.

Vheneke has learned a lot so far during her time at Catawba and has advice to share with her peers. She said, “My advice is that we go to college to learn, and in order to learn one must take the initiative to get rid of any bias that may hinder your opportunity to learn and get the best results. In other words, sometimes you must unlearn so that you can learn.”