Finding “Fa’a Samoa” (the Samoan way) in Eastern Kentucky For SeSe Aumavae (Class of 2023), family is everything. Growing up in American Samoa, a United States territory located in the South Pacific Ocean, his culture is built around the concept of working as one family unit. The process is built around core principles of respect, pride, cohesion and honoring one’s family. This upbringing primed Aumavae for a team sport.
of the prep work that happened ahead of time to get to game time – not just in football, but any sport.”
Though geographical distance prevented his family from attending many of his games, two sisters were able to make the trip for his senior day in Fall 2022 - and they did not show up empty-handed. The Samoan culture includes everyone in a family celebration – and they demonstrated that by After playing football for presenting all the seniors with most of his life, Aumavae Aumavae, left, with Allenhandmade leis. They included took to the field at a junior Gauche traditional leis made with college in California, relatively flowers, but others were a bit more unexpected, closer to his home in the Polynesian Islands. featuring snacks like chips and candy bars. In searching for his next steps after his stint in junior college, Aumavae connected with Andrew The leis weren’t the only way they included Stroebel, an assistant football coach at MSU. Aumavae’s teammates in the celebration. When Though eastern Kentucky was an unexpected one senior did not have any family available destination, a visit to MSU during the winter of to make the trip to stand with him on senior 2019 sealed the deal and he had committed day, one of Aumavae’s sisters stood at his before he even boarded the plane back home. side. Everyone is family and no one is alone. Moving from the islands to the Appalachian Several months later when it was Aumavae’s time Mountains in January 2020 took a while to adjust to walk across the stage at commencement – socially and culturally. The pandemic didn’t help. as the first grandchild in his family to graduate from college – he was not without family there “When the coronavirus pandemic began, it was to cheer him on. Over a dozen members of his rough,” he said. “But immediately, my coaches family made the journey from American Samoa, and teammates made it feel like home.” including his grandfather, Chief Kanape, who serves as not only the leader of their family, Though Morehead may seem nothing like his but also the leader of SeSe’s home village. tropical home, Aumavae insists the family atmosphere in eastern Kentucky is similar. Though he has made his way back As a student, he completed an athletics home to the islands, Aumavae still finds department internship. Through the guidance the mountains calling to him. of his internship supervisor, Kenna Allen Gauche (Class of 2008, 2009), he deepened “I miss it,” he said. “Morehead is in my blood his connections to MSU by learning about now. To any potential student who doesn’t the athletics work behind the scenes. think MSU could be a fit for them – I would say, ‘If a kid from the islands can come to “I was used to showing up on game day and MSU and be successful, you can, too.’” stepping on the field,” he said. “I had no idea all 61
