When students talk about Mississippi State University, the word “family” often comes up as a testament to the warm, welcoming atmosphere found across campus. That sense of belonging has been especially true for sisters Ogo and Femi Johnson, who left Lagos, Nigeria, to pursue their college dreams. They found a second home in Starkville.

Despite being so far from home, they had immediate support at MSU from their guardians, George and Iyabo Adebiyi. George, a professor in MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering at the time, spoke highly of the university and the many opportunities it offers students to grow both personally and professionally.

The abundant student involvement opportunities stood out to Ogo, the older sister, when she transferred to MSU in 2014 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

“When I looked at Mississippi State, it was evident that I would be able to get involved in student life and leadership while successfully pursuing my degree, and that was important to me after spending many years deeply involved in sports,” she said.

Ogo quickly became immersed in campus life by joining Maroon VIP, a volunteer student organization that welcomes MSU guests and leads campus tours, which deepened her knowledge of MSU’s rich history. She later became an Orientation Leader. In her second semester, she was selected as a resident advisor, or RA, in Hull Hall, where she discovered her passion for student affairs. This role also gave her the chance to live in the same residence hall as Femi, who was inspired by Ogo’s journey and joined her at MSU in 2015.

Femi chose to study industrial systems engineering. Like Ogo, she shared a creative eye and interest in artistic expression, so she decided to minor in interior design.

After observing Ogo’s experience as an RA and seeing how the RA on her own floor supported residents, Femi felt drawn to the role herself.

“Seeing Ogo enjoy the role and being able to help other students transition from high school into college, especially other international students, was cool,” Femi said. “Every time I had a question, I would reach out to her, so of course, I wanted to be that resource for future incoming students.”

Femi also carved out her own MSU experiences. She became active in many student organizations, serving as an officer on the International Student Advisory Board and later as president of the African Students Association.

In 2019, Femi graduated with her bachelor’s degree and began working at PACCAR Engine company, a major manufacturer in nearby Lowndes County. Coincidentally, Ogo also spent time there, completing an internship in the human resources department as part of her master’s program in public administration. 

Femi returned to MSU in 2023 to pursue a master’s degree in industrial and systems engineering and rejoin the housing team, this time as a graduate residence director.

“Being a graduate residence director was a great opportunity to continue what I did as an RA in a supervisor role,” Femi said. “I felt I had great experience and would be good at it. It would also give me experience managing different types of personalities.”

The new role also reunited the sisters on campus, both now serving in MSU’s Division of Student Affairs. Ogo, an assistant director in the Office of Planning and Assessment, supports professional development for Student Affairs staff and works with departments on program evaluation and research.

“Assessment drew my attention because of the ability to tell our story through data,” Ogo said. “One of the things I get to do is help our incredible departments assess the effectiveness of their programs, thereby indirectly supporting students’ experiences. MSU is intentional about serving the students by building a culture of continuous improvement. I am happy to be a part of the staff and make a difference.”

From earning two degrees at MSU to now being a full-time professional, Ogo’s journey has given her a deeper understanding of how to support the student experience, especially with her sister by her side. Whether it’s a quick office chat or attending campus and community events together like the International Fiesta, their time at MSU has been filled with shared memories.

As Femi prepares to graduate with her master’s degree in May and begin the next chapter, she reflects fondly on the time spent with her sister at MSU. Though their paths will soon take them in different directions, they’ll always carry with them the special bond of being Bulldogs forever.