“Sometimes, all you need to do is take the next step”

Adeola Adesina is graduating this week from the MBA Global degree at the University of South Wales. Two years on from losing her mum to cancer, Adeola says that completing her studies marks the beginning of a future that, for a while, she thought she had lost.

“For five years, my family measured time differently,” she said. “Instead of counting days, we counted hospital visits, chemotherapy sessions, scan results, and the moments my mum would smile through the pain and tell us everything was going to be okay.

“Growing up in Ibadan, Nigeria, as one of six children, our home was always full of life, laughter and love. When my mum was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, everything changed. Her illness affected every part of our lives, and as a family we faced the emotional, physical and mental challenges together.

“What I remember most is her strength. Even on her hardest days, she tried to protect us from her pain. She never stopped believing that things would get better, and she encouraged us to keep looking ahead. Looking back, I realise she was carrying far more than any of us understood.”

During those difficult years, Adeola continued with her studies and graduated with her first degree, achieving a CGPA of 4.42 – equivalent to an upper second class honours(2:1) degree in the UK.

She added: “At the time, I simply kept putting one foot in front of the other because stopping never felt like an option. Then, on 1 March 2024, we lost my mum. Her passing divided my life into two chapters: before and after.

“Grief has a way of making the world continue while you feel completely still. For a long time, I struggled to imagine what came next. But I also knew my mum had always believed in education, resilience and moving forward, even when life became difficult. I wanted to honour that belief.

“Later that year, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life. I moved to Wales to study the MBA Global at the University of South Wales. I arrived on my own, leaving behind my family, my friends and everything familiar. What I brought with me was faith, determination and the hope that this new chapter would help me rebuild.

“When researching universities, I was looking for more than an academic qualification. I wanted somewhere that felt welcoming and supportive, and that is what drew me to the MBA Global at USW.

“The transition was not easy. There were moments when being far from home felt overwhelming, and grief would catch me unexpectedly in the middle of ordinary days. But gradually, things began to change. I found friends who became my support network. I met lecturers on the USW MBA Global who encouraged me, believed in me and reminded me that I belonged.”

Through the course, Adeola also took the opportunity to complete an internship with The Celtic Collection, allowing her to apply her learning in a professional setting while gaining valuable experience with one of Wales’s leading names in the hospitality sector.

“These experiences gave me confidence, broadened my perspective and helped me grow both personally and professionally,” she said. “Slowly, Wales became more than somewhere I was studying; it became a place where I could begin again.”

“Throughout everything, my family remained my greatest source of strength. My dad became our anchor after losing his wife. Despite his own grief, he continued to support and encourage all of us, showing a quiet strength that carried our family through its hardest moments.

“My siblings have also been by my side throughout this journey. Even from different places, we have continued to support one another through every challenge, reminding each other that none of us has to face life alone.

“Now, as I graduate, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride. Not because the journey has been easy, but because I kept going when giving up would have been easier. For me, this MBA Global degree represents much more than academic success. It represents resilience, perseverance, difficult goodbyes, new beginnings, the confidence to embrace new opportunities, and the unwavering support of my family.

“Above all, it represents my mum. I wish she were here to celebrate this moment with me, but I know she would be proud. She taught me that strength is not the absence of pain. It is choosing to keep moving forward despite it.

“If my story encourages anyone, I hope it reminds them that life will not always unfold as planned. We will experience loss, uncertainty and moments that test us. Yet even then, there is always a way forward. You do not have to have every answer. Sometimes, all you need to do is take the next step.

“To my mum, thank you for your love, your courage and your example. Everything I achieve carries a part of you with me. To my dad and my siblings, thank you for never letting me walk this journey alone. To my MBA Global lecturers, friends and the wider USW community, thank you for helping me find a home when I needed one most.”