Kebba Bojang and Candace Enis

Stronger Together

When Kebba Bojang (C'16) thought about where life would take him after high school, he thought he knew his decision. He was a senior at Madison East High School in Madison, Wisconsin, and planned to attend Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. However, his former high school track coach, Chad Gunnelson (C'13, MIM'19), had other plans.

Chad had recently become a coach at the University of Dubuque, and knowing Kebba's talents, Chad knew he wanted to recruit Kebba for the track team. Trusting that this was the right move for him, Kebba decided UD would be where he would call home.

"I considered myself a mediocre athlete at the time, but trusting Coach Gunnelson and his training process led me to be a back-to-back conference champion in triple jump," Kebba said.

Off the track, Kebba was interested in the sciences. He started his college career as a biology major. However, Gerald Zuercher, PhD, professor of biology and vertebrate ecology, knew Kebba's passion was for chemistry and encouraged him to follow his dreams. Kebba ended up double majoring in biology and chemistry.

It was Kebba's senior year when he met Candice Enis (EX'19), a freshman who had just joined the track team and was majoring in childhood education. Candice quickly realized that the classroom setting was not for her and switched to double majoring in criminal justice and sociology.

Although there was a three-year age difference, the two got to know each other as teammates and friends.

"Kebba was always a supportive teammate, and it was nice to just have that person to talk to, give advice, and cheer you on. We quickly became friends and Kebba was even giving me relationship advice," Candace said.

The two started seeing each other in November 2015, right before the Spartan Olympics intra-squad track and field event. By the end of November, they were inseparable and made it official - these two teammates were now boyfriend and girlfriend.

"Our relationship was much different than any other relationship I had ever been in," Kebba said, adding. "I remember thinking who really meets their spouse at college anyway - I thought that would never be me. Turns out I was wrong!"

In addition to track, the two stayed busy on campus. Candace was active with the TRIO program and Kebba was involved with Black Student Union and African Student Union. Kebba was also a Resident Assistant for three years in Donnell Hall, Cassat Hall, and Park Village Apartments.

At the beginning of his senior year, in 2015, Kebba began applying to graduate schools to continue his education and become a pharmacist. He was accepted into the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, where he began classes in fall 2016.

Meanwhile, Candace stayed in Dubuque to continue her studies. The couple knew they would always make their relationship work while also pursuing their dreams. They would see each other every weekend, and it helped that Kebba worked every other weekend at the Mercy Pharmacy in Dubuque.

In 2017, during one of Kebba's visits to Dubuque, he decided it was time to pop the question and ask Candace to be his wife.

"He encouraged me to go get my nails done, which I found kind of odd, so I had a suspicion that he was going to ask but what I didn't expect was when he did it. We went to the nail salon together and he must have had it worked out with the staff because as soon as we were done they all pulled their phones out and he got down on one knee and proposed! I was certainly shocked, happily said yes, and then we went out to dinner," Candace said.

Kebba added, "I knew I had found the one that was right for me. It was like divine intervention. She saw a piece of me that I was keeping away and she helped me find myself. She saw the good in me, she had patience with me, she brought me out of my shell, and she helped me learn to be a better person. Now every day I try to be a better person with her and for her."

In 2018 the couple found out they were expecting a baby girl. Wanting to begin their new roles as parents together, Candace decided to transfer to the University of Iowa to complete her senior year in August 2018. She also began an internship at the University of Iowa College of Law in the criminal defense clinic and worked part-time. Although the transition from a Division III school to a Division I school was challenging, Candace knew they would make this work, just like they had during every other change during their relationship.

Only months before the two were supposed to graduate, they endured yet another change - the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We finished our schooling only two days apart," Kebba said. "However, I almost didn't graduate. I was doing rotations and the pharmacy accreditation board was not budging on their guidelines for completion. We had to stay and complete our rotation no matter what, otherwise it would have been another year before I could graduate."

However, these two did not let a pandemic stop them. They were tenacious and completed their schooling and graduated in May 2020.

After graduation, Candace completed the police academy and was excited to begin her career at the Madison Police Department. Kebba worked from home and was a stay-at-home dad as he prepared for the pharmacy boards exams.

On July 10, 2020, the two decided that they wanted to commit to forever and were married during a religious ceremony. Having to navigate the changing world, the two actually said "I Do" to each other via Zoom at Kebba's dad's house. Candace's friend served as a witness and her dad gave consent via phone.

Now that they are religiously married, the couple are planning for a day of celebration, complete with a ceremony and reception, with their family and friends when it is safe to gather together again.

Kebba and Candace keep busy raising their three-year-old daughter, Mariama Bojang. Candace loves working for the Madison Police Department and enjoys how different every day is. Kebba commutes to Dubuque for work at Infocus Pharmacy Services as a staff pharmacist and says he will probably be a lifer as he feels a strong connection to Dubuque and the relationships that were forged here.