Veronica Uwumarogie, senior in business, is close to her family and is proud of her Nigerian heritage that gave her a last name that means "death comes to everyone, even kings."

Her close-knit family consists of four brothers and three sisters ranging in age from 15 to 33. Her father is an elementary school teacher from Nigeria and her mother is a stay-at-home mom from Texas. Uwumarogie's parents met in Texas but moved to the south suburbs of Illinois where her uncle was living at the time.

"We're a loud family that likes to crack jokes," Uwumarogie said. "We still watch cartoons even though we're older now."

Although several of her siblings live far away from home, the family tries to get together for important birthdays and holidays.

"My mom is in charge of the food and my dad watches sports," Uwumarogie said. "Since there's so many of us, if we give out presents we go from youngest to oldest."

Uwumarogie has acted as the oldest sibling at several family functions because her older brothers live far away.

"I met one of my half-brothers for the first time a year ago," she said. "We're closer now, but not like my younger siblings."

Uwumarogie's friends call her a very sweet and considerate person whose personality fills up the room. She threw a surprise birthday party on Labor Day for her roommate Tiffany Thomas, senior in ACES, and always takes time out of her busy schedule for her friends, Thomas said.

Uwumarogie and Thomas have been roommates for two years, and although they have their differences, they get along well.

"I'm more aggressive and Tiffany is more sensitive," she said. "I'm not afraid to say what's on my mind."

Uwumarogie even says what is on her mind when no one is around.

"I like to talk to myself a lot, especially in the mirror," she said.

Friend Basirat Shokunbi, senior in LAS, said that she has remained the same in all the years that they have been close. Shokunbi and Uwumarogie have been friends since fifth grade. The two girls played basketball, volleyball, and track until their senior year in high school. Uwumarogie still tries to play volleyball whenever she can in intramurals and pickup games.

"She stands up for what she believes," Shokunbi said. "I know she'll be successful."

Success for Uwumarogie could come from more than her personality. She is dedicated to her schoolwork in accounting and is the internal vice president of the National Association of Black Accountants. She also volunteers at the Douglas Center in Champaign as a mentor for children in the multicultural center where she met graduate student Pekun Laosebikan, her boyfriend of eight months.

"He complements me because he's so reserved and quiet," Uwumarogie said. "He avoided me for a year before he came around."

When she is not volunteering or studying, she works at an after-school program for children for the Family and Graduate Housing Association in Orchard Downs.

Something she does not mind being too busy for is cleaning.

"It's my least favorite thing to do, but every time my room is a mess I say I need to get my life together," she said.

Uwumarogie said cleaning her room at home is not an issue because she lost her room when she went away to college.

"I've got a little corner in the den now with a futon and a bookcase," she said.

Uwumarogie is not afraid of the decisions she will have to make after graduating from the University. She wants to do auditing work at a large firm and eventually go back to school for a doctorate in either marketing or accounting. Ideally, someday she will own her own firm and come home to a good husband and twins.

"I've already got a huge family," she said. "I just want twins ... a boy and a girl."