A high-flying Lancaster University student, listed among 150 Future Leaders, is celebrating graduating with a first-class degree.

Seun Odusanya was named within the UK’s most outstanding African and African Caribbean students and new graduates, alongside five other Lancaster peers.

She was featured in the 2020-21 Future Leaders magazine, showcasing 150 of the UK’s most outstanding African and African Caribbean students and new graduates, and also had an article on Black Lives Matter featured in the magazine.

Now Seun, who has graduated in Management, Politics and International Relations, is hoping to make an impact with an NGO or humanitarian corporation with a focus on Africa.

She said: “Diversity and inclusion is an area that I am deeply passionate about and having the opportunity to write my undergraduate dissertation on this topic, as well as present my research at the OWT Masterclass this year has been a real privilege. In choosing my research topic, I was keen to highlight an issue that, not only closely related to my placement experience, but also to me personally as a Black woman navigating the corporate environment.

“To be a part of the 2020-21 Future Leaders magazine alongside many young Black people was a fantastic epilogue to my four-year journey at Lancaster University.

“As my degree at Lancaster University comes to an end, I have truly come to appreciate its relevance today. I look forward to utilising my knowledge in the next phase of my life.”

Seun, part of Fylde College, was a course representative and student ambassador in LUMS, and was selected as the first BAME student rep in the Politics Department, helping review issues raised by ethnic minority students to ensure positive change. She participated in a focus group with the Vice-Chancellor to share her experiences, both socially and academically, and helped lobby for initiatives such as Black History Month to have greater representation within academia. Seun was also part of the Race, Religion and Ethnicity Team during her placement at the Enterprise Rent-A-Car European headquarters.