2021

I am a Kenyan citizen currently residing in the city of Nairobi. While the city is at its peak in development, each resident has ingeniously stepped up to contribute in one way or another to ensure we reap the most out of the numerous opportunities available. What I find most fascinating is that this shared interest has helped nurture a sense of cohesion and unity, which has cemented the relations between the diverse city dwellers. I am fluent in three languages: English, Kiswahili and the local tongue (Kikuyu).

I look forward to enrolling into the electrical engineering program at Penn State University. I have always been fascinated by the numerous applications and manipulation of electrical energy into various facets of the society. I believe that the comprehensive program will help mold me into an efficient and innovative electrical engineer who will pioneer greater projects in my country. I believe that I will be of great service to my country as we push forward to achieving our Vision 2030, a dream of untold development.

In my leisure time, I love to play soccer and swim. These activities have helped me remain fit and widen my scope of friends. Once in a while, I engage in karaoke and perform songs. While I am not super talented in singing, I find the experience exhilarating and an excellent avenue to expand my social circle.

I am humbled to be a Botstiber Scholar and I look forward to making maximum utilization of the myriad opportunities available in the program to hone my skills in leadership, to expand my scope in academics and improve my interpersonal skills. I believe that the program is the perfect platform to help me learn and transform into a prolific scholar.

The Botstiber Scholarship and Botstiber Foundation as a whole is a blessing to me. It helped me purse a degree in technology which is close to my heart. With this, I’ll be able to get involved in the development of my community after school. Not only did the scholarship eliminate the expenses associated with school, but it indirectly helped me make great connections with people from around the globe.

My home country and city is Kenya, Nairobi. I love my country because of its rich heritage and diverse culture. I speak English, Kiswahili and Massai.

My area of study is Civil Engineering. This field, particularly in my country, needs expertise because it is a developing country and I would love to take part in that development.

My hobbies are playing soccer and writing poems. Soccer keeps me fit and relaxed, while poetry has been my best way of expression. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, I would come back to Kenya and take part in road development in rural settings and infrastructure development at large.

I am motivated by the fact that I was selected among many deserving applicants to receive the Botstiber Scholarship. Therefore, it would only be expected of me to fully utilize this once in a lifetime opportunity.

The Botstiber Scholarship is a representation of hope for me. There comes a time in life when you actually need a miracle and in 2017 the Botstiber Scholarship was my miracle. It is a gift that was awarded to my family; my younger sisters got a better education because Botstiber stepped in for me. The Botstiber scholarship is an opportunity to build a foundation and in these three years at Penn State, I have gained a clear understanding of who I am, my passions, my shortcoming, my strengths and love for my country. I hope to someday impact the life of someone as the Botstiber Foundation has mine.

I was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. My favorite place in Addis has got to be this huge open-air market called Merkato. It’s one of those places where you never know what you’re going to stumble into or what you’re going to find; it’s just so chaotic, it’s beautiful. I speak Amharic and English.

I want to study Computer Science/Engineering at Penn State because doing so would allow me to make a positive difference in my country and Africa. There is a lot that needs to improve in our continent, and I feel that the first step towards achieving that goal lies in our better understanding of Computer technology.

I am a reading addict. It’s hard to describe in words what I enjoy about reading, so I’m just going to write down one of my favorite quotes and let you figure it out for yourself.

“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter–to–morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further… And one fine mourning…”

I believe one of the advantages of growing up in Ethiopia or in Africa is the abundant amount of motivation you get just by simply looking at the lives around you. I’m motivated by all the obstacles I had to overcome to get to where I am today. I’m motivated by the desire to give back to my community. I’m motivated by the confidence the Botstiber Foundation and Penn State have shown in giving me this scholarship.

I’ll always be grateful that the Botstiber Foundation gave me this opportunity to educate myself when no one was willing to do it for me. It has been a rigorous academic program and I appreciate the support system from fellow Botstiber Scholars.