From Big Dreams to Becoming

Nadira Kakonge ’27 | Kamapala, Uganda
Major: Business with a concentration in Marketing
Minor: Data Analytics

Transformative Experiences

From an early age, I’ve dreamed big. One of those dreams was to be the president of the United States. I later realized it wasn’t possible because I’m not a citizen. However, at that age, it didn’t feel impossible, but it felt within reach. That sense of ambition and curiosity has shaped the way I see the world, leading me to believe that if I work hard enough, I can achieve anything.

Growing up, I attended international schools. Two boarding schools I attended for high school — one in Kenya and one in Tanzania, which was a United World College (UWC). Those two boarding schools, especially UWC East Africa, were transformative experiences. They taught me what independence looks like, freedom, and I gained a more global perspective due to the students who came from different parts of the world.

Additionally, it wasn’t until UWCEA that I started to get a sense of direction for what I wanted to do with my life and, with all the resources available at UWCEA, that is how I found Concordia College.

Choosing Concordia

Concordia looked good on paper: a small, liberal arts college with a close-knit community and a business school (Offutt School of Business) that stood out to me. It seemed like a place I would thrive. However, at the time, I had also gotten into a few other colleges, and Concordia was only my second choice. My first choice was a college in Indiana, which my best friend had already committed to, and it was the safe choice. But I was still leaning toward Concordia because I didn’t want to play it safe. After all, college is about transformation and figuring yourself out, who you are, and who you want to be. And it wasn’t until Steve Schaefer in International Admissions offered a meeting with the dean of the OSB that I realized that Concordia is where I want to be. What got me hooked was that the courses offered in the OSB were more diverse and also included hands-on projects, which sounded amazing.

At Concordia, I have a major in business with a concentration in marketing and a minor in data analytics. My major in business, particularly in marketing, is heavily influenced by my dad, who has a career in marketing. Additionally, my decision to pick marketing is because I want to be either a creative or brand strategist, where I develop concepts and stories that help campaigns and brands truly resonate with people.

So far at Concordia, my favorite class has definitely been Principles of Marketing and Sales, where I, along with a few others, had the opportunity to work on a marketing campaign for a local business. It was exhilarating because it aligned with the marketing career I want to pursue.

These moments are unforgettable.”

International Student Community

Being at Concordia, now as a junior, I’ve loved my college experience. Because it is a PWC/PWI (predominantly white college or predominantly white institution), I found it really uncomfortable at first because there’d be times when I was the only person of color in class. However, the college still has a close-knit community, with international students forming campus clubs that celebrate diversity and who we are, like BSU (Black Student Union), CASA (Concordia African Student Association), and ISO (International Student Organization). They all create a sense of belonging and community, especially through their events, with some of their bigger events being A Soul Café for BSU (catered, singing, and other performances), the African Wedding that CASA had last year (where it was teaching how an African wedding usually occurs with dowry and people getting to dress up as a groom and bride and everyone else attending and having fun), the ISO Gala (where we get to dress up according to a theme and they are performance and awards given), and the ISO Festival (where we wear our best African-themed attire and get to celebrate our countries). These moments are unforgettable.

Personal Growth

Being at Concordia these last few years, I’ve grown so much. I’ve gained a clear career path with the help of my advisor, who helped me choose courses that I’m interested in or that align with my career goals and, through those classes, learn the aspect of marketing that I love. 

Additionally, outside of academics, Concordia has been a big catalyst behind my growth and being more independent, like getting my first job, and also stepping out of my comfort zone by recently taking on a leadership role. Concordia has offered me a great college experience, and I can’t wait to see what my senior year has in store for me.

^{Published April 2026}