Alumna Hnede Joshua Takes a Leap of Faith into Her Community
When she graduated in 2016, Alumna Hnede Joshua (Communication) was uncertain about her broad liberal arts degree and what she wanted to do. In 2019, things began to come into focus. She enrolled in graduate school at Concordia University in Saint Paul and landed a job at U.S. Bank, where she now holds the position of Project Manager on the Diversity and Inclusion Team.
Working for U.S. Bank has changed the way Joshua views community: “The bank has shown me that when people come together for a common goal, from all backgrounds, you can truly create change and make a difference in our respective communities.”
While U.S. Bank offered new insights, recent events in Minnesota also shaped Joshua’s career path. She explained, "After George Floyd was senselessly killed, I reflected on my life and realized that I needed to do something to impact change. I could no longer stand by and watch the injustices any longer.”
So, in 2020, she took a leap of faith and applied for the Humphrey Fellowship Program, a fellowship program for young professionals who want to make an impact by discussing social issues and developing projects to change problems within their communities. Her risk was rewarded, and she was accepted.
Currently enrolled, Joshua reflected, “I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about the political world and what I can do individually to impact change. I’ve also gained a network of people who share my passion for helping others.”
The fellowship additionally teaches students a host of skills and goes in depth about Minnesota’s civic community. She’s currently working with other fellows in the program to recommend a new policy that she was unable to give further details about due to confidentiality.
Joshua advises students seeking to make an impact to “start with educating yourself about the community you live in and your experiences within the community. Once you acquire the knowledge, figure out what your personal contribution will be, and then decide what your impact within the community will be.”
It seems fair to say that the uncertainty she experienced after graduation was a gift in disguise. “I never imagined in my wildest dreams I would be in this position,” Joshua said. “To any communication major? Pursue the degree--the beauty of the degree is the broadness of it, because you never know where you'll land. It will eventually make sense, in your own way, on your own path.”