Jumi Odumosu is a people-focused professional whose 25-year journey has unfolded in ways she could never have predicted.
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It all began in 2001, when she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Language, winning the award for Best Performance in the Final Year Degree Examinations in her department. While she was certain at the time that a master’s degree would follow soon after, the field she’d eventually pursue was still unclear. In the meantime, she became a certified Human Resources professional in 2009, but through her HR work, volunteer service and life across several countries, one thread remained constant: her life and work have always been about people.
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Her desire for a master’s degree never faded, even as a debilitating illness, starting a family and frequent relocations took her down a different path. More than two decades after that first graduation, Odumosu found the field that brought all of her experience together: counselling psychology.
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This fall, after having completed her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) at Yorkville University with distrinction, she will be one of just two graduating students chosen to address her fellow graduates at Yorkville’s upcoming convocation in Fredericton.
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We spoke with her about what brought her to Yorkville, what she’s taking with her and the advice she’d give to students just starting out. Here’s what she had to say:
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What brought you to Yorkville University? Where were you in your life/career when you decided to continue your studies with us?
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I completed my undergraduate studies in 2001, and over the last 25 years, my career path has been anything but linear. I continued to embrace the opportunities available to me along the way, ultimately becoming certified as a Human Resources Professional. However, I always had a desire to pursue a career that felt more aligned with what I wanted to do long term.
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When I discovered counselling psychology, I knew I had found the direction I wanted to pursue. As I researched programs that would allow me to achieve that goal, I discovered Yorkville University. Its flexible online format worked perfectly with my busy home life as a mother of two teenage children and a wife whose husband frequently worked away from home. Yorkville University gave me the flexibility to pursue a new career while still being present for my family.
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What made you decide to pursue your Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology?
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Given my outstanding academic performance as an undergraduate, everyone, including me, assumed I would pursue a master’s degree soon after graduation. But life happened, and like many people, I found myself putting that dream on hold.
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Throughout my life, however, one thing remained constant: people. I have always had what I consider a God-given gift of people feeling comfortable confiding in me, sometimes sharing deeply personal stories and concerns even when we had only just met. Over time, I began to wonder whether there was a career path connected to something that seemed to come so naturally to me.
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Two people played an important role in helping me see counselling as a possible career path: a Yorkville University alumnus, Ibukun Ogunsina, who spoke highly of the program and shared how rewarding a career in counselling could be, and my sister, Kike Aderibigbe, who was studying counselling at another university at the time. They both believed that counselling would be a natural fit for me. Their encouragement prompted me to consider a profession I had not previously thought of as a career.
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Although 25 years passed between earning my bachelor’s degree and completing my master’s, those years were far from idle. They were filled with volunteer work, professional development, continued learning, and life experiences that shaped me in many ways. In 2026, twenty-five years after earning my bachelor’s degree, I completed my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology with distinction and finally fulfilled a dream I had carried for many years. Counselling gave me the opportunity to take something that had always been part of who I am and develop it into a profession where I could support people more intentionally.
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What is the most important thing you’re taking away from your studies at Yorkville University?
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One of the most important things I am taking away from my Yorkville University experience is the value of community. Studying online can sometimes feel isolating, but Facebook groups where current Yorkville students and alumni connect helped bridge that gap for me. I also became intentional about connecting with classmates, and some of those connections grew into friendships. We exchanged ideas, encouraged one another, shared helpful information and, when things became overwhelming, leaned on one another for support. Having that community made a difference in my experience.
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My practicum brought much of my learning together. I began with some anxiety around the many uncertainties, but I had a wonderful supervisor, Becky Fleming, who believed in me from the very beginning. She literally held my hand through those early days, providing the guidance, reassurance and encouragement I needed as I found my footing. Her support reinforced an important lesson for me: we are not meant to do life alone. That lesson about the importance of human connection is something I will carry with me both personally and professionally.
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What are your plans after graduation, both immediate and long term?
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I currently work part-time as a Clinical Counsellor with a community-based non-profit organization, supporting youth. I also recently became a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), an important milestone in my professional journey. While continuing in my part-time counselling role, I am now taking what feels like a brave next step: starting my own private counselling practice. Alongside my counselling work, I continue to work as a speaker and trainer, areas that have also become an important part of my professional journey.
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Long term, my goal is to continue growing these three areas; counselling, speaking and training. Although they take different forms, they are all connected by a common purpose: supporting people and organizations to learn, grow and thrive.
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If you offered one piece of advice to an incoming student, what would that be?
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Don’t approach the program as something to simply get through. Fully engage in the experience and take advantage of the opportunities available to you. You will only get out of the experience what you are willing to put into it. Be proactive: ask questions, take advantage of your professors’ office hours, seek support when you need it, and intentionally build relationships with your peers. Never underestimate the value of having a community around you!
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Don’t just earn the degree; make the experience count.
