Born in New York to Nigerian parents, Fadahunsi was raised in Nigeria until she was 7 and spent her formative years in Virginia Beach, Virginia, immersed in a vibrant Nigerian community. 

“My parents loved hosting people,” Fadahunsi said. “We’d welcome guests for months into our home, and we’d help them get on their feet to start their lives in America. I always had Nigerians around me, but they weren’t necessarily my peers, right?”

It wasn’t until coming to Brown that she saw her identity reflected in academic and extracurricular life. As the vice president for the Nigerian Students Association and a teaching assistant for a Yoruba language class, Fadahunsi said she’s helped sustain a strong sense of community for other Nigerians on campus. She also leads Bible study and is a member of the worship team within Brown’s Christian Union — another space in which Fadahunsi finds solace. 

“School is amazing, but sometimes you just want to slow down and find time for your faith, for your people,” she said. “I’m so grateful for the communities I have here at Brown. They’re my anchor.” 

Fadahunsi said that grounding has helped give her the strength to conduct research on heavy topics like migration policy, civil rights and the treatment of refugees worldwide. 

For the past four years, Fadahunsi has combined the personal with the professional, bringing her own experience as the daughter of immigrants to a range of academic and work opportunities she’s pursued through Brown — including her honors thesis, which examines Nigerian migration to the United States from 1960 to the present day.

Academic journey at Brown propels global experiences

During a semester abroad in Denmark, Fadahunsi studied international humanitarian and refugee law. She also took a class on the literature of Hans Christian Andersen, marrying her love for federal policy and fairytales. 

“It was the best of both worlds,” she said. 

During her sophomore year, Fadahunsi joined the Brown in Washington program, in which she interned at D.C. Witness, a media outlet that tracks violent crime. The following summer, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity took her back to Washington — to the White House. 

As an intern during the Biden administration, Fadahunsi provided policy, research, logistical and administrative support for the Gender Policy Council within the Executive Office of the President. Among her responsibilities, she drafted memos, prepared public-facing materials and staffed events like roundtables, summits, conventions and task force meetings, helping to advance gender equity and equality in domestic and foreign policy. But it wasn’t only the work that left a lasting impression on her; it was the people. 

“They were so genuinely grateful for my contributions, big and small,” Fadahunsi said. “I think that’s what I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Whatever I do, I just want to make sure that every single person I interact with feels heard, seen and valued by me. It makes such a difference and gives you such confidence.” 

Fadahunsi will make strides toward that goal as a John Robert Lewis Scholar at the bipartisan Faith and Politics Institute. The faith-based leadership program brings together students from across the country to explore nonviolent resistance, civil rights history and public service. After a year of meetings and mentorship, the cohort will meet in March 2026 to make the pilgrimage walk from Montgomery to Selma, Alabama, quite literally following the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr.

“It’s right up my alley,” Fadahunsi said of the program. “It’s exactly how I want to characterize myself as someone working in law or policy — someone who leads with love, first and foremost. I want to prioritize that and embody it throughout my career.” 

The next step in Fadahunsi’s career will see her crossing the Atlantic to pursue a master’s degree in the United Kingdom; she’s considering offers of admission from both Oxford and Cambridge. After that, she plans to enroll in law school and pursue a combined J.D./Ph.D. program. 

Once she has those degrees in hand, Fadahunsi said she has an ambitious list of future possibilities: returning to the White House, working with non-governmental organizations in Geneva, fighting for justice at the International Criminal Court in the Hague, pursuing immigration law in the private sector, or even looking toward a seat on the higher courts. 

Until then, with just weeks until her graduation at Brown’s 257th Commencement, Fadahunsi is taking time to reflect. 

“I’ve grown so much,” she said. “I used to say I wanted to change the world. Now, I want to contribute to it. At Brown, I opened myself up to so much knowledge so that when I do start really contributing to the world, it will be with purpose, meaning and impact.”