2026 Lonnstrom HEOP Excellence Award Winner

Zeidane Adjei '26 admits he made quite the scene at the mall. He was screaming and jumping, and people were absolutely staring. He didn't care.

On his first day of high school, Adjei understood exactly one word his high school teacher said during his first class.

"I was able to understand 'thank you.' She said that right at the end of class."

It was as if everything the teacher was saying was in a foreign language. That's because it was. Adjei had just moved to New York from Togo, a small country in western Africa where French is the official language. Adjei was in a new school in a new country and though he gathered from the one word he understood that his teacher was at least polite, he had no idea what she was talking about.

"For a long time, I was just lost. I had Google Translate open on my phone during class. At first, that's the only way I was able to keep up. It was hard."

That was seven years ago. This past weekend, Adjei graduated with his degree in Health Studies. Next month, he'll start his full-time position as a patient care coordinator at Whitney Young Health Center, and he'll transition into the real world with a $5,000 boost thanks to the Lonnstrom HEOP Excellence Award.

Togo is one of the least developed nations in the world. His family took the chance to relocate to upstate New York for a better opportunity, but Adjei knew he'd have to work for it. After a rocky start, he made it through high school and was accepted into Siena's Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP).

"If it wasn't for HEOP, I never would have been able to go to college in the first place. They helped me so much. I met my friends in HEOP, and we'll be friends forever. The activities, the counselors, the tutors... it all made my success possible."

While at Siena, Adjei - who has served Saints as a tutor, peer mentor, and peer counselor for the HEOP Summer Program - pursued a career in healthcare for the singular purpose of making a positive difference in people's lives.

"Back in my country, the health care system is so bad. But here, I can make a difference. I just want to help people and give them the resources to advocate for themselves."

At Whitney Young Health Center, Adjei will be supporting patients who typically face systemic barriers to treatment. He'll be their conduit to the care they need, but first - Adjei needed a little help himself. For example, he'll owe two months' rent on an apartment before he earns his first paycheck. The stress of making ends meet when he was so close to establishing himself was a massive burden at a time when he should be celebrating. That's why he caused a scene at the mall when he checked his phone. Adjei saw an email congratulating him on being the 2026 Lonnstrom HEOP Excellence Award winner.

The award was established in 2014 by Doug Lonnstrom '66, Ph.D., retired professor of quantitative business analysis, and his wife, Cris, to support a HEOP graduate in pursuing their post-Siena goals. The $5,000 award may be put toward transportation, moving, living expenses, or graduate school expenses.

"It's such a relief not worrying about first month's rent. Now I'm not going to feel stretched out, and I can focus on my job. My mom was so happy. She called me last night and she was crying. Everybody is happy, and they're all really proud of me."

Siena is proud too.

"We are incredibly proud of Zeidane and all that he has accomplished thus far," said Yasmin Fisher '10, Director of HEOP. "This award is a reflection of his hard work, resilience, and commitment to serving others. We look forward to seeing the impact he will make at Whitney Young as he helps patients overcome barriers to care. We are also deeply grateful to Doug and Cris Lonnstrom for their continued generosity and unwavering support of our program and students."