Beyond BHM: Graduate Student Parents

Beyond Black History Month featuring Nelly Afuubi

For Nelly Afuubi, a graduate student in the Master of Regenerative Sustainability program at the University of Saskatchewan’s School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS), environmental responsibility is closely connected to human well-being. Originally from Ghana, she draws on a background in environmental sustainability and occupational health and safety to pursue practical, community-centred solutions. Through its Beyond Black History Month series, the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) Diversity Committee highlights Nelly’s experiences as a Black graduate student, community volunteer, and mother whose two daughters inspire her aspirations.

Graduate studies and family life often share the same hours in Nelly’s day. Evening classes can overlap with dinner and bedtime routines, requiring her to participate in lectures while caring for her children. Support from SENS faculty, understanding classmates, and her husband has helped her navigate these competing responsibilities. Her daughters have occasionally made cheerful appearances during online classes, bringing moments of warmth and humour to the everyday realities of graduate student parenthood.

Nelly’s engagement with her community extends beyond the classroom. She has served as Vice-President of the School of Environment and Sustainability Student Association (SENSSA) and as a GSA Council member, contributing to student representation and leadership. Her volunteer work with the USSU Food Centre and the Saskatoon Food Bank reflects a commitment to supporting people in her community alongside her academic pursuits.

Inspired by the Twi concept of “Sankofa,” which emphasizes learning from the past to move forward, Nelly hopes to contribute to sustainability and policy solutions that are environmentally responsible, socially inclusive, and grounded in lived experience. Her perspective connects the future she imagines for her daughters with the communities she serves today. Through her studies and community involvement, she brings attention to the importance of considering people’s everyday lives when working toward a more sustainable future.