Sparked by a love of data and coding
“I’ve learned to never count myself out. Other people will look at you and dismiss you, but I’ve learned to use that as drive.“
Faustina Ejiofor’s love of data and coding was sparked when she took a computer science class at the urging of her parents. Now she’s graduating with a degree in computer science and has a job lined up at Accenture, a Fortune 500 company that specializes in information technology consulting.
It all started in high school. “My cousin had recently become a software developer, and she was making good money, so they encouraged me to give it a try,” she recalled. “I was drawn to it immediately. I’m a very mathematical and logical person, and being a computer scientist allows me to put pieces of a puzzle together to solve a problem or create a picture.”
Her interest in computer science led the way when it came to picking a college to attend. “I googled ‘best school for computer science in Massachusetts,’ and Mount Holyoke was high on the list,” she said. “After doing further research, I liked that it was small and intimate because it would allow me to build community, and I would have smaller class sizes and more time with professors.”
Ejiofor also appreciated the diversity and progressive nature of the campus. As a Black woman who’d spent most of her life in the predominately white town of Peabody, Massachusetts, she looked forward to forging friendships and relationships with people who looked like her and came from other racially diverse backgrounds. “I experienced a lot of racism in high school, so coming to Mount Holyoke felt safe,” she said.
Once on campus, Ejiofor quickly found places where she felt supported and was able to build community. Most notable has been her participation in Mount Holyoke’s African and Caribbean Students Association where she’s served as secretary since 2020. The organization aims to be a home away from home for students of African and Caribbean descent. The group hosts game and movie nights and provides a support system for students with similar backgrounds on campus.
“There are times when you’re more aware that ý is a predominately white institution,” she said. “But the Black community at the College is strong. This community has given me a place to vent and have people who are willing to hear me and affirm what I’m experiencing.”
Upon graduating, Ejiofor will be heading to Charlotte, North Carolina, where she’s accepted a job as a technology architecture delivery analyst at Accenture. After some experience in the field, she wants to attend graduate school. Long term, she wants to develop her own app where she uses technology and data to make the world a better place. She has a document full of ideas, and every time she gets a new one, she jots it down. She credits her time at ý for building her confidence and resilience.
“Nothing has hit yet, but I know one day it will,” she said. “I’ve learned to never count myself out. Other people will look at you and dismiss you, but I’ve learned to use that as drive. There’s no reason to think you don’t belong somewhere. I have loved being around so many women who are succeeding in their respective fields. It makes me want to match that.”