Jennifer Okoro is an Accounting major at Alcorn State University (ASU). She was born in Kano, Nigeria where she lived until she was 8, after which she moved to Lagos, Nigeria before coming to the United States to pursue higher education.
Okoro chose to attend Alcorn because she was looking for colleges that would help her both character-wise and academically which inspired her to aim for a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). Out of the four HBCUs she applied to, Alcorn gave her the most intriguing offer. She has had a love for numbers from a very young age and wanted to make a career out of working with them and be in the business world. Deciding on her major was easy, she said, “Accounting is a fast-paced and competitive industry that demands professionals who are diligent, focused, hard-driven and devoted and I also thrive in a competitive environment and derive a sense of satisfaction from hard work and dedication.”
Okoro has not felt particularly affected by her status as an international student in terms of her life on campus because she feels that HBCUs are very welcoming and inclusive. However, as is the case with many internationals, her status does hinder her from applying to certain programs that could benefit both her education and her craft.
The craft in reference is “Jenniva”, the crochet clothing business owned and operated by Okoro. Jenniva was birthed as a result of many factors. Okoro grew up in a fashion home and often accompanied her mother to work at her boutique as well as going on shopping trips. She had always known she wanted to do something different from the norm. After she graduated from high school, she found herself in an idle state which was unsettling for her. During one of her usual YouTube watching sessions she stumbled upon a crochet designer and knew that was the craft she’d been looking for. The following day, she set out to buy a hook and some yarn, created something, and thus Jenniva was born.
Okoro owes all of her success to God. She attributes her strength and the ability to overcome her shortcomings to Him. He is her main support system, along with her family, friends, and fans. The support from her fans is priceless to her and they make her want to do more every time and every day. The knowledge that she is yet to reach a place that is satisfactory to her drives her to keep pursing this dream. She is constantly looking for ways to better her brand and build up her business knowledge.
She finds her inspiration to create from all around her, from the people around her, to the magazines she reads. To her, it’s a disadvantage of being a designer, having her mind always wander in search of her next creation.
Okoro hopes to have her work and her craft seen by the world. She states, “I want the world to see the masterpiece I am.” Her aim is not to receive praises, as she does that for herself, but to inspire others to create as well. Check out her business page on Instagram @jennivabyj.o.