Joseph Tumwebaze

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.