Community and service are the driving forces for Joshua Ojo. Josh’s church background has instilled in him a sense of awareness that he never thought could occur. Before attending Tandon, Josh took a service trip with his church to Mexico. There, he helped to rebuild homes for low-income families. The sheer joy that Joshua received from that experience gave him some insight into the area he would ultimately pursue as his major at Tandon: Civil Engineering.
Throughout his academic career, Joshua has made an effort to create a supportive network with his peers. Joshua advises current and future Black and Latino students to find community with one another, and seek out opportunities to connect with faculty and staff. Additionally, he encourages his fellow Black and Latino male students to not be afraid to get their hands dirty academically. “Position yourself to work through your discomfort,” Joshua says, as he views each obstacle as an opportunity for growth.
When thinking about his emerging professional identity, Joshua describes himself as both a problem-solver and decision-maker, someone who is equally adept at creating solutions as a part of a team and taking decisive action as a leader. Although he knows that this approach stems from a unique experience, he’s ecstatic about the possibility of helping others as he did in Mexico through his degree. Josh wants to work with the NYC Department of Buildings, as a developer or policymaker, to give New Yorkers what his service trip gave the people of Mexico — an opportunity.