2022

My name is Joseph Tumwebaze and I come from Wakiso District in central Uganda. Uganda, dubbed the “Pearl of Africa” and “Gifted by Nature,” boasts of breathtaking landscapes, a rich cultural heritage, a tropical climate and beautiful wildlife. What I take the most pride in about my motherland, however, is the overwhelming warmth and friendliness of the Ugandan people. There are many languages spoken in my country but I speak English and Luganda.

I have always been fascinated by technology. Information Science and Technology is at the forefront of innovation, pushing boundaries of technological advancement at an exponential rate. It has been the driving force of change throughout history. In this course, I hope to develop my skills to create innovative solutions to problems in Uganda and in the greater region of East Africa.

One of the biggest thrills for me is sitting down with a guitar or at a piano and singing my favorite melodies. I enjoy this exercise because it develops good listening skills, self-discipline and a chance to experiment and be creative. I also love making new friends and travelling to see new places.

My future goal is to develop my own technology startup company in Uganda. As I am passionate about entrepreneurial leadership as a way of diversifying the African economy, I hope to create more jobs for people and help them live decent, happier and more dignified lives. Besides the longing to contribute to my society while mentoring those who are on their way to success, what motivates me to be a successful Botstiber Scholar is the desire to awaken a true sense of love, joy and peace everywhere I go by sharing my talents and the fruits of my work for a better world.

The Botstiber Scholarship means the world to me. I am grateful to God for this opportunity and I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Botstiber Foundation for this prestigious scholarship. With the Botstiber Scholarship, I have been given a chance for a very bright future. My vision of sharing my talents and the fruits of my education for a better world is being fulfilled. My experience at Penn State so far is so awesome and wholesome. I have had enriching interactions and relationships with faculty that actually love to teach and care about students and the opportunity to meet students from all over the world in “Happy Valley.” I hope to continue to learn, grow and make the most out of this wonderful opportunity. The Botstiber Foundation has supported me in my dreams goals and visions by providing an opportunity to gain a wonderful education at such an elite university. I am always grateful.

My name is Kelvin Ngure. I am from Nairobi, Kenya. I have lived in the Dandora slums for the better part of my life, reveling daily in the bustle of the area – a fruit hawker here, a mutura grill there, and a scrap metal dealer to haggle with. I love Dandora because there is never a dull moment.

I speak English, Kikuyu and Swahili. I intend to major in Computer Engineering at Penn State. From interning as a software developer in Nairobi working with frameworks such as Laravel, Cordova, and Spring – to working on solo projects, I have enjoyed working with computers. I appreciate how almost all our daily tasks can be entrusted to computers with great results.

My hobbies include singing, Quora, dancing, and Tennis.

With the knowledge acquired from my degree, I plan to work in various parts of Africa, combining my interest in banking with IT to innovate in various sectors of the economy and play my part in bolstering the economic prosperity of my people.

The faith the Bostiber Foundation has in me is the same faith that motivates me to be a successful scholar. I have faith that regardless of my humble beginnings, I can carve my future and that of fellow Kenyans. The Botstiber Scholars Program has given me a life changing scholarship that has exposed me to innovative ways of thinking and put me among really smart people.

My name is Belinda Yemurai Mativenga and I am from Zimbabwe. My native language is Shona, but I am also fluent in English, our schooling language. I reside in a lively high-density township called Chitungwiza, just outside of Zimbabwe’s capital city Harare.

What I appreciate most about my home area, is the resilience my family and neighbors have for survival. Being part of this community has instilled a flame propelling me to be part of this struggle, the struggle against poverty and deprivation. I have always been fascinated about Biology which drives my passion to use biological principles to solve real life problems in the Agricultural and Medical fields. Not much investment has been put in the research field in Zimbabwe and it is my goal to involve myself in the latest research in Medical Science and Agriculture, to focus on ways I can improve my country.

I love socializing with diverse people, understanding what makes them tick, and I also enjoy reading widely to keep myself mentally stimulated and knowledgeable about the world. What motivates me to be a successful Botstiber Scholar, is the thrill of being part of a determined community, gifted with bright minds and full of young people with whom I share the same ethos and values, which is to give back to my nation and contribute to the development of Africa. The Botstiber Scholarship will provide me the golden opportunity to be exposed to expansive research at Penn State, which certainly is lacking in Zimbabwe, and will also give me the platform to form relationships with other young people who are just as eager to be a force for African development as I am.

The Botstiber Foundation has enabled me to access high-quality education at Penn State without having to be stressed financially about my schooling.

My name is Flavia Wanja Kung’u, and I come from a small town called Nyeri located in Aberdare Region of Kenya. What I like about Nyeri and Kenya in general is the people and the energy that surrounds them. When someone in my country gets an idea, there’s usually no stopping them. I am proud to be part of Kenya’s innovative bunch. I speak Swahili, English and conversational Kikuyu.

I plan to study Electrical Engineering at Penn State because I am partial to the vigor and challenge the course offers. Electrical Engineering also covers another base I am passionate about – providing solutions to everyday challenges. I like knowing how people work, how machines work, what connects one terminal to the next. Electrical Engineering is a means to understand how electronics, power and even more components work, and to find out how to use that knowledge to solve challenges in Kenya.

During my free time, you’ll find my nose in a book or working on a sketch. For me, reading is fun because it helps me learn and dream, while sketching is a means of expressing my thoughts. After completing my degree, I plan to return to my home country. I am really big on self-reliance, so I want to work on and launch projects that will make Kenya a sustainable tech hub upon my return.

Many people have helped me get to where I am, and I can help many more realize their potential as well. These are the two reasons that motivate me to be successful as a Botstiber Scholar. Honestly, I’d say it’s too much to put into words – The Botstiber Foundation is basically a group of individuals who are helping me succeed by paying for my tuition and giving me time to pursue my interests.