How Loss and War Shaped a Montclair State University Student’s Research and Passion for Counseling

This is one of several stories highlighting Winter Commencement 2025 graduates pursuing the American Dream and who have found a quality education and sense of belonging at Montclair State University. 

Sailume Walo-Roberts came close to stepping away from her doctoral studies. It was her terminally ill daughter who urged her to keep going. “Do you want this, mom? Do you really want this?” her daughter asked. Walo-Roberts replied yes. “Then do it! Finish it!” Walo-Roberts made a promise – and she’s about to honor it.

Walo-Roberts will fulfill that promise to her daughter and herself by walking across the stage to receive her PhD in Counselor Education at Montclair State University’s Winter Commencement 2025 on January 13. The milestone will be bittersweet. At 22, Dinsio Nia Adassa Walo-Wright, who inspired her mother’s perseverance, passed away in her mother’s arms in “a beautifully sad moment” in 2019 after a battle with brain cancer.

“Dinsio’s words carried me through when the weight of responsibilities, expectations and self-doubt felt too heavy to carry,” says Walo-Roberts, whose husband, Joel, sons Noah and Nyon, mother, Edith Smith, and numerous family members and friends – “my community,” she notes – will be on hand to witness her achievement.

As a chosen Commencement speaker, Walo-Roberts plans to tell her fellow graduates: “Each of us carries our own story, a series of battles fought and won – and those stories have shaped us into who we are today. This degree is not just a piece of paper; it’s a testament to our resilience and courage. But what will we do with it? Let’s use this achievement to open doors for others, to speak up for those unheard, and to build a world that’s more just, inclusive and compassionate.”

Walo-Roberts is committed to inclusivity and compassion. “Sailume is a warm, thoughtful and generous person, and she gives her everything to her students, colleagues, and, of course, her friends, family and community,” says Department of Counseling Interim Chair Muninder Kaur Ahluwalia, who served as Walo-Roberts’ advisor and dissertation chair.

Ahluwalia says that Walo-Robert’s dissertation, which she dedicated to her daughter, on Liberian women’s testimony of war, trauma and acculturation, “is strong, inspiring and hard to read because it gives you a real understanding of what Liberian refugees experienced, how they made meaning of these experiences and how they moved forward.”

Overcoming Loss and Advocating for Justice

Walo-Roberts has experienced more than her share of tragedy and loss, and it’s made her resolute in her commitment to social justice and helping others.

A native of Liberia, West Africa, Walo-Roberts came to the United States in 1986 as a teenager, joining her mother, who was serving with the Liberian Mission to the United Nations. Shortly after, the First Liberian Civil War broke out, leading to her family’s application for political asylum. While she and her immediate family found safety in the U.S., they lost nearly 40 family members during the 14-year war, while others were scattered as refugees worldwide.

For more than a decade, Walo-Roberts served as the director of a countywide rape crisis center, where she provided counseling, advocacy and community training to prevent sexual violence. A licensed professional counselor, she was a key contributor to the New Jersey Attorney General’s committee that developed statewide standards for treating sexual assault survivors.

Montclair: A Community that Inspired Confidence

While pursuing a doctoral degree had long been in the back of her mind, the timing never seemed right, says Walo-Roberts. When years of listening to women’s stories of rape and abuse led to burnout, Walo-Roberts walked away from her demanding role at the crisis center. That break led her to Montclair, where she found a sense of belonging and personal growth.

“When I think of Montclair, I think of the relationships and connections that I made,” she says. “I came into my own at Montclair in terms of the confidence that I got as a clinician, as a scholar, as a researcher – all of those skills that were honed at Montclair.”

Today, Walo-Roberts is an adjunct professor at New York University’s Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness program. She also runs her private practice, Sankofa Counseling Services LLC, in New Jersey. Her research and expertise focus on violence against women, gender equity, trauma, refugee acculturation, multicultural counseling and the experiences of people of color in higher education.

Guided by the principle, “To whom much is given, much is expected,” she remains dedicated to using her platform to foster a more just and equitable world.

Grief, Resilience and Legacy

Walo-Roberts describes the loss of her daughter as “profound and life-altering,” and says it has impacted her research and her work as a counselor, making her more empathetic.

“While I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, it has shaped me in ways that have made me a more empathetic, compassionate and impactful counselor and researcher. I now approach my clients with a heightened sense of empathy and openness. I’m able to sit with their pain and suffering in a way that I couldn’t before, and I strive to create a safe space for my clients to share their stories and find healing.”

Her research explores the intersection of grief, trauma and resilience, with a particular focus on how individuals and communities navigate profound loss. “My personal journey has given me a unique perspective and a deep commitment to this important work.”

Before she goes to her Commencement, Walo-Roberts will undoubtedly speak to her daughter. She’s built an altar for her ashes and photos on a bookcase, the first thing she sees when she descends the stairs in her Maplewood home every morning. “I talk to her throughout the day. I encourage family and friends to talk about her because that’s how we keep our loved ones alive,” she says. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to honor my daughter’s memory by using my experiences to help others.”

She knows Dinsio would be proud and say, “Congratulations, Dr. Mom.”

Story by Staff Writer Sylvia A. Martinez.

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