Helen Obuna has discovered her passion through perseverance.

Obuna has pursued a major in biological anthropology and sociology with a focus in criminology and criminal justice. As a first-generation student and immigrant, Obuna has overcome adversities throughout her life.

Her parents first moved to Egypt during the second Sudanese war, where Obuna would spend five years of her life. She and her family then sought refuge in the United States.

“My mom tells me a lot about my past, going to school in Egypt, and sometimes I can recall some of those memories,” Obuna said.

Growing up in Denver brought on a new set of challenges. Obuna remembers that learning English was a hard part of moving, and she struggled with navigating cultural differences in her communities.

Colorado State University was the best decision for Obuna financially, leading to her journey as a Ram. She is a recipient of both the McNair Scholarship and the Reisher Scholarship and has put numerous hours into passionate research.

Obuna is part of the first cohort for the McNair Scholarship. Over the summer of 2023, she completed 30 hours of research each week on the human microbiome, focusing on Black populations. Obuna studies urbanization and diet and how it impacts Black Americans’ health compared to other cultures or populations of people.

“I’m really excited to use frameworks like Black feminist theory,” Obuna said. “I’m really excited to center Black women in my work because I am a Black woman, and it’s something that I haven’t been able to do yet. So I’m really looking forward to furthering my education in that way.” 

This year for the Multicultural Undergraduate Research Art and Leadership Symposium, Obuna worked on a project titled “Being Trans at CSU.” The project received two awards through the symposium.

Obuna has also dedicated her time to working at Rams Against Hunger since her sophomore year and values connecting with the CSU community through it.

Obuna hopes to further her research in a Ph.D. program for medical anthropology and looks forward to getting her first job after graduation.