ATLANTA — Audrey Osei-Boateng, a native of Ghana, is excited for her family and friends to see her walk across the stage this spring when she receives a master’s degree in Spanish from Georgia State University. But two faces will be missing from the crowd — her mother and father.
Boateng’s father died in 2021. A few months later, Boateng’s mother became sick and died just as Boateng was preparing for Georgia State’s 2022 spring semester.
Boateng decided to defer her admission to the fall of 2022.
“I was still dealing with a lot of mental trauma,” Boateng said. “My mother was like my support system. Whenever I was feeling down, I knew I could talk to my mom.”
Boateng said the move helped her deal with the grieving process because grief is viewed differently in the United States.
“In Ghana, mental health is seen in a different light and there are few resources to help. Coming [to Georgia State] I was unsure if I could make it out with flying colors due to the situation I found myself in,” Boateng said. “Although the beginning proved rough, my professors were welcoming and, now, here I am.”
While at Georgia State, Boateng said she was able to step out of her comfort zone to participate in conferences as a presenter.
In 2023, Boateng presented at Georgia State’s Graduate Conference for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. She also presented at the Mississippi Foreign Language Association (MFLA) Conference.
Boateng works as a Spanish instructor at Georgia State. After graduation, Boateng will work as a bilingual administrative assistant and complete practical training with a language-based nonprofit organization teaching Spanish to adults and children.
While Boateng’s parents, along with her two sisters from Ghana, will not be in the crowd on graduation day, Boateng said she hopes this achievement makes her family proud.
“I think my mother is proud of me. That’s one of the things that keeps me going,” Boateng said. “Graduation is going to be a very proud moment for me and my family. It’s just a sign of me saying that whatever I went through, I was able to pull through.”
-Photo by Raven Schley