Teresa V. Ogu Memorial Scholarship

Authored by Ephraim Ogu:

Teresa Valdez Ogu was born on April 27th, 1959 in Denver, CO. She was raised by a single mother who gave everything to ensure that she grew up along her 3 siblings in a stable and loving home. She attended the University of Denver to study concert piano and music. She met her husband, my father Innocent in 1987. From Imo, Nigeria, he was in the United States finishing his degree at Edinboro University (PA) and beginning his career in Molecular Biology. They started their family of 4 children in 1990, with the youngest born in 2000. She was dedicated to cultivating a safe, happy and joyful environment for her family. She loved to tell jokes, listen to classical music and crochet. She watched her kids play sports like football, soccer, rugby, track, flamenco dance and many more. She watched Jeopardy every week on TV and constantly won against all of her kids in Words With Friends. My mother gave everything to her children. She worked so hard and sacrificed her own well-being to ensure we had safe, curious, adventurous and imaginative childhood experiences. She and my father valued education, and early on would use the Igbo saying of “education is greater than silver and gold” in our home. She loved her trip to Laramie to watch me play football for the first time and adored the fact that I was a Cowboy.

The week fall classes began; she passed away in her sleep unexpectedly. The magnitude of losing a parent during young adulthood cannot be understated. My family learned to truly value each other, find love and beauty through happiness and compassion, and to never take for granted a moment spent together. Key UW faculty members and friends who cared about me were integral to me rebounding as a student, and ultimately earning my bachelors in Construction Management/Civil Engineering in 2022. I was truly lifted by my community. This scholarship is in memory of my mother, and of all the days that I carried her memory with me into the lecture halls and exam rooms. It represents all parents who could not be present physically for their children’s key moments in life. So many days and classes felt impossible, but through hard work and belief in yourself, you can achieve anything. “Always finish what you start, do what needs to be done, and live each day with courage.”

Students who have lost a parent during their life but not given up on their dream of pursuing higher education are encouraged to apply. On behalf of my father Innocent, Sister Gabriela and Brothers Augustus and Chinua, thank you for your interest in becoming a part of her story.