Michenael is a first-year student at Rutgers University-Newark. She plans to major in diagnostic medical imaging to become a sonographer. As part of her Wikipedia assignment in fall 2025, Michenael improved the Wikipedia article focused on tech entrepreneur and activist Judith Adem Owigar.
1. Was your work on Wikipedia meaningful to you? In what way?
Wikipedia often lacks representation of women and people of color, so contributing to closing that gap felt meaningful, especially as a woman of color myself. Highlighting Judith Adem Owigar’s story helps bring attention to leaders who often don’t receive the recognition they deserve. Moreover, diagnostic medical imaging is within the STEM fields, making it more meaningful and important to me.
2. Why was it important to add more information to Judith Adem Owigar Wikipedia article? What did you hope readers would take away from your contributions?
While researching influential innovators, I came across her page and noticed it hadn’t been edited since May, so Judith’s work in technology, entrepreneurship, and empowering women in STEM wasn’t being fully represented. Expanding the article helps give her the visibility she deserves and ensures readers understand her impact. And I specifically wanted to add more about AkiraChix, a significant program, which was lacking information.
I wanted to make sure the information was accurate, well-sourced, and written in a way that reflected her achievements clearly, and to make sure I wasn’t giving outdated information to anyone who stumbled upon her page. I hope these edits will help readers understand more of her contributions to tech accessibility and women’s advancement in places where those are limited.
3. What kinds of skills did you learn throughout the process?
This project helped me strengthen my research skills, source evaluation, and ability to translate academic information into neutral and accessible writing. While researching, there was a multitude of research I came across, but I was unable to use it because it didn’t fit the criteria, so the project caused me to think more critically. These are skills I’ll definitely apply in college and in my future career.
4. How would you describe the power of Wikipedia in shaping people’s awareness of figures like Judith Adem Owigar?
Wikipedia has enormous influence because it’s often the first place people go to learn about someone or a topic. If I were to search up a celebrity, I’m sure the first link would be their Wikipedia page. Improving articles like Judith’s can shape public understanding and make important figures more visible to a global audience.
5. What was your favorite part of editing Wikipedia? And your least favorite part?
My favorite part was seeing how the article evolved into something greater compared to how it was before. Because when I compare the first day I started to the recent version, I’m proud of how far I’ve come to reach this point, and knowing that my edits would help create a more complete and accurate public resource makes me smile.
My least favorite part was navigating Wikipedia’s detailed guidelines because it was a lot at first. But once I took my time to understand it, I eventually appreciated how they ensure quality and neutrality, which is something I never knew.
6. How would you compare the Wikipedia assignment to a traditional assignment? Do you think you’ll edit again in the future?
To me, it felt really similar to a research paper due to the research part that I had to do, but it was definitely more engaging and purposeful than a traditional paper. And I was glad that I contributed to something that people outside the classroom will actually read, use, and learn from.
If I ever have the opportunity to edit, I will do so, especially if it is something I am passionate about. Now that I understand how the editing process works, I’m more confident in myself to contribute to topics and biographies that deserve more attention.
Michenael’s work on Wikipedia is part of a larger Wiki Education initiative sponsored by the Broadcom Foundation, which supports creating and improving biographies of diverse people in STEM on Wikipedia.
Interested in incorporating a Wikipedia assignment into your course? Visit teach.wikiedu.org to learn more about the free resources, digital tools, and staff support that Wiki Education offers to postsecondary instructors in the United States and Canada.
