Skip to main content
SFU Staff
Faculty of Health Sciences
Communications Assistant

Photo of Charity
"Marginalized communities are often excluded from research and public health efforts. Once I learned this realization, it was important for me to be a part of changing that story."

Inspired to improve the health and wellbeing of diverse populations, Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) Bachelor of Sciences graduand Charity Mudhikwa came to SFU as an international student in 2018 with the goal of advocating for not only the student community, but disproportionately impacted communities.

It was particularly difficult in the beginning for Mudhikwa as an international student, being thousands of kilometers away from home, family and friends. In addition to adjusting to the university experience, she had to navigate a whole new country and culture with no one familiar around her. However, she recounts how her time at SFU taught her how to be resilient.

“I would not trade that experience for anything - it taught me resilience, independence and was just overall a great journey of self-discovery,” she explains. “I also made some life-long friendships along the way which was definitely an important part of my journey because without them, I don’t know how I would have made it.”

Mudhikwa’s journey getting involved with the community brought her to SFU Career and Volunteer services, where she led a student engagement initiative interviewing and showcasing volunteers of SFU in a video series called One Small Step. Her charismatic nature extended into her work with SFU’s Point Church, where she led student events and was a part of community service efforts with assisted care living centres and winter sock-drives in the Downtown Eastside.

In addition to her community work, her academic goals to help others found her studying the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and its disproportionate burden on certain populations and people. She decided to tackle an honours research project studying patterns of hospitalization among people living with HIV who have experienced violence in BC, solidifying her passion for HIV/AIDS research. She recently began working as a research assistant on a study investigating healthy aging among women living with HIV in BC, assisting with data work, and recruitment and interviewing of study participants.

Meeting women from all walks of life opened her eyes to the diverse groups of people in BC and the diverse experiences they have. She points out how easy it is to cast judgement on the way people live or the activities they engage in, but drives home how unfair it is to immediately judge others without listening or understanding another person’s story.

“I just know that my biggest goal is to be an advocate of women all over the world who are disproportionately impacted by sociostructural and socioeconomic inequities. Marginalized communities are often excluded from research and public health efforts,” Mudhikwa explains. “Once I learned this realization, it was important for me to be a part of changing that story. As a Black woman, it is also very important to me to do research that meaningfully includes and respects the experiences of Black women both in Canada and globally.”

With her BSc in tow, Mudhikwa is excited to join the FHS Master of Science program during the Fall 2022 semester to focus on sexual and reproductive health research among women living with HIV in BC. As for advice for students new and old, she recommends people take every opportunity they can.

“Whether that’s asking a professor for help, applying for a scholarship, applying for a position, they want to help you succeed - they are not as scary as you may think,” she advises. “So, apply for that award. Apply for that position. Send that email. The worst that could happen is getting a rejection but that’s better than not trying at all."


This story was originally published on the Faculty of Health Sciences website on May 31, 2022.

SFU Staff
Faculty of Health Sciences
Communications Assistant
visibility  135
May 31, 2022

You Might Like These... Career Exploration, Professional Development, Workplace Transition, Student Success, SFU Alumni, Convocation

Guy wearing his graduation gown, standing at the edge of a cliff overlooking the city
Justin's Journey

After Justin and Samantha decided to create Career Friends, the rest was history. They have kept each other on track while job-hunting post graduation. Read Justin's story about his experiences after graduating in 2002, and how he overcame the challenges of finding full-time employment.

Graduation ceremony
How to Prepare for the Workforce Before Graduation

How do you stand out and stay ahead of the game in today's increasingly competitive job market? Read on to learn about 4 important resources that can help you advance your career while you're still in school.

christina wu laughing
Life After Co-op Series: Connecting Local and Global Experience

Christina Wu finished a joint major in Business and Communication at SFU and is now working as a Communications Coordinator for the BC Council for International Education. She sat down with us to share her rich Co-op experiences and how they played a significant part in developing the skills and connections she has today.

You Might Like These... Convocation

Photo of Inda
Honing Skills in Visual Storytelling

Inda Macias graduates with a Master in Digital Media (MDM). As a project manager, production coordinator, and storyteller from Mexico, she shares her experiences in the MDM program and how she will apply the skills she learned in the future.

A clock
Six Months To Graduation: Now What?

It’s a new year with many new hopes and dreams. I know what I am thinking about – graduation.  Just imagine the moment of wearing the graduation gown and hearing your name called before crossing the stage. Cameras and chants abound, validating your achievements after years of study. Still, we might ask ourselves, “What's next?” Never fear, chaos theory of careers is here! 

Photo of Laton
Building Accessible Software for Educators

Computing science graduand Laton Vermette graduates with a Ph.D. in Computing Science. His thesis was on improving the lives of educators by providing ways for them to customize the classroom software they use for teaching.