16 years ago, my father stood nightly at the top of hill on Howard Place, in front of Howard University’s main gate. He observed with distinct instest as scores of Howard University students leaders and faculty flew by and forth wrestling the obstacles in their journeys. As a newcomer immigrant from Benin, who came to the United States with little more than hope for a more prosperous life, my father worked as security guard at Howard during the evenings, in addition to his daytime work. I image what he saw was inspiring, as he would zealously recount stories of this magical place to my siblings and I. And now, in 2018, the second of his sons will be graduating from Howard University.
Looking back, my own journey at Howard has been nothing short of phenomenal. I can remember joining the School of Business Executive Leadership Honors Program as an eager freshmen four years ago. The following year, I was excited to lead a successful team in National Cyber Analyst challenge as we competed against graduate students. I would later travel to San Francisco to present a startup idea to over 200 silicon valley investors. And in my final two years, I would go on an exciting journey
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My friends and classmates provided support and encouragement during arduous times. My SBEL family motivated me, through their own successes, to continue pushing boundaries. My professors and advisors took a personal interest in my growth and went out their way to make sure I had the building blocks for success. In particular, I have been deeply influenced by my mentor, Professor Henley, who has consistently guided and advised me since I was a freshman. He has taught me to be more confident in my abilities and to aim higher in all my endeavors. More importantly, he has taught me the importance of giving back and intentionally using my abilities to serve a greater