Damilola Ashaju

Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Economics

Spring 2024 Valedictorian

Damilola Ashaju chose to pursue his studies at The University of Winnipeg because of its strong reputation in academics and supportive community atmosphere.

Damilola initially leaned towards studying Applied Computer Science, but with an open mind, he explored various subjects including Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. Instantly, he found a passion.

Given Damilola’s interest in the field, he took all the Finance courses offered at UWinnipeg including BUS/ECON 4800 and 4801. Damilola even completed level one of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program, scoring above the 90th percentile in the exam, which is unusual for a student at his stage.

He served the Finance and Economics Students’ Association (FESA), first as its Vice-President (Academic Services) in 2022-23, and then as its President in 2023-24.

During his final term as a student assistant at the Faculty of Business and Economics, he helped lay the groundwork for launching the inaugural student-managed investment fund.

Even following COVID when student engagement declined, Damilola competed in external competitions including the CFA Research Challenge (2024), CFA Ethics Challenge (2023), JDC West Finance delegate (2023), and Bank of Canada Governor’s Challenge (2021, 2024). He also served as a volunteer for Siloam Mission and United Way Winnipeg.

Damilola’s believes it’s important to embrace every opportunity for growth and exploration. “Keep an open mind and don't be afraid to explore different subjects and extracurriculars – that was how I found my passion for economics!” he said.

The University of Winnipeg is proud to honour Damilola Ashaju as valedictorian.