Like many children of my generation, I grew up dreaming of becoming a pilot, engineer, or physician so as to join the ranks of extraordinary professionals, inventors, and lifesavers. This was from the lens of a young boy who was growing up in a typical village setting in the North West Region of Cameroon through the 1990s. As I transitioned from primary through secondary to high school, those dreams did not fade away given that I was determined to keep driving toward them. Upon graduation from high school, the reality of life became apparent as I realized that my childhood dreams were mere wishes. It was then that I began to feel the challenge of continuing to dream in line with the career goals that I had set earlier. Yes, it was difficult to continue on that merry-go-round dream lane due to the limited opportunities that existed in my country for pursuing them. There was no professional school for pilots at the time, and few opportunities were available for engineering or medical education. This made admission to the existing professional institutions arduous due to several factors, many of which were above my ability.
Photos on Fulbright program visits to the City Hall in Philadelphia and the Capitol in Washington DC
In a strange twist of fate, after graduating high school, I passed the competitive examination and was admitted to the former Higher Teacher Training College (ENS), University of Yaoundé 1 - Annexe Bambili, to train as a Physics Teacher. The early days of my career, as an educator, were sustained by a fulfillment I had gained from teaching my peers back in high school. The teaching profession then gave me the opportunity to pursue what I was passionate about and a desire to rise above all odds to be counted among the finest. In this light, I quickly developed a teaching goals mindset, integrated into several professional networks, coordinated extracurricular activities in my schools, published books in my teaching area, Physics, and engaged in several learning opportunities to expand my know-how both academically and professionally. I obtained a BSc in Physics from the Faculty of Science at the University of Yaoundé 1 and later, a Graduate Teaching Diploma (DIPES 2) in Physics from the Higher Teacher Training College (ENS) of the same institution. Never did I know that these engagements were more about building a richer profile rather than satisfying an urge to live my passion. I was equally moved at that time by a desire to make a contribution to mitigating the challenges of our environment. I did this through the Environment Club at my school. Inspired by this project, I decided to pursue an MSc in Environmental Engineering at the University of Padua, Italy, through the National Advanced School of Public Works in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 2013 to 2016.
Participating in Community Service activities during the Fulbright program
After graduating from the MSc program, transitioning into an engineering career was certainly not easy. It was partly due to the numerous engagements in education I was involved in at the time. This was further compounded by the enthusiasm one was immersed in following my return from the Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) program in the US in 2015, and participation in the International High School Teacher (HST) program at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2018.
Photos from the 2018 International High School Teacher program at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland
Through these programs, I developed motivation and became more responsive to the problems of education in several areas. With this drive, I championed the creation of the Cameroon Fulbright TEA Alumni Association in 2016 and was voted its pioneer president the following year.
Members of the Cameroon Fulbright TEA Alumni Association during different events
Through this mandate, I was able to establish the organization's initial structures and transformed it into a genuine non-profit. I won several grants to run education-related projects in communities across the 10 regions of Cameroon through the organization. There are countless examples of our contributions through funded projects - notably our response to the most recent global pandemic through the Covid-19 Brigade for Safe Schools in Cameroon, our works on combating School-related Violence, the promotion of STEM Education, Teacher Leadership and training on Inclusive Learning initiatives, Environmental Education and the use of Instructional Technologies.
Actions on some Cameroon Fulbright TEA Alumni Association project activities
Despite my desire to make a significant impact and stay at the forefront of making the world a better place, the desire to improve my competencies and give the highest rendition of myself has not been compromised. I realized that this could only be possible if we do not stop learning and continue to reexamine our past dreams. I have also come to understand that one has to have a flexible mindset when looking for ways to accomplish his/her dreams. This could be done by grabbing opportunities that come our way to keep moving. No matter how many times I say it, I haven't stopped realizing how critical it is to never say it's over for one's dreams. It is this spirit that kept me moving as I was battling to secure the Fulbright Foreign Student scholarship.
Our participation and team at the 2022 Cameroon USG exchange programs alumni symposium
I can’t remember with precision when I first learned about the Fulbright Scholarship. However, I believe that it could have happened sometime after I finalized my undergraduate studies in Physics. After High School, I suffered setbacks in academics as my performance oscillated between Bs and Cs. The highest grade I ever recorded during my BSc studies in Physics at the University of Yaoundé 1 was a B, with most of the course grades between 10.00 and 12.50 on a scale of 20, and some of them validated after one, two, or three attempts. This state of affairs crippled the confidence and dreams that were once part of me. My carefree attitude toward a highly prestigious scholarship like the Fulbright, at that time, could have been due to the belief that it was exclusively for the brightest minds in the category A academic class.
Participation in cultural activities at the TEA and Fulbright programs in the US
I only realized that I had something special after I was selected for and participated in the TEA program. This achievement made me recognize that I could equally be counted among the finest in Cameroon in my specialty, teaching after I got selected for the TEA program in the Fall of 2015. It was during one of the program's welcome workshops in Washington DC that the motivation to try my luck on the Fulbright scholarship was sparked. During that event, a former participant of the TEA program from Pakistan, who had just returned to the US for graduate studies under the Fulbright Foreign Students program banner, made a passionate presentation on her community engagements and how the TEA program transformed her into the quality of leader she was at the time. After hearing her story, I took a commitment to return from the TEA program and be more engaged in contributing to making Cameroon a better place - thereby building a richer profile that could facilitate my selection for the Fulbright and return to the US for graduate studies, one day, just like her. This is how the Fulbright dream in me was born!
Activities of the 2015 TEA program in North Carolina, USA.
I first applied for the Fulbright scholarship in the 2017/2018 application season for Cameroon. This attempt left me crashing out of the race at the interview stage as I ended up as an alternate nominee. The following year, I reapplied, advanced through the interview phase, and was nominated by the US Embassy in Cameroon to the Fulbright Scholarship Board as one of the candidates from Cameroon. Once again, I hit a giant wall despite having been offered admission to some US universities after the Board submitted my application file to them. Initially, the negative feedback which I received from the Board wasn’t clear to me. It kept me hopeful given that I was made to understand that one could be called up for the program if the US government approved more funds later. With the elasticity of the waiting period stretched closer to its limit by the Covid-19 pandemic, I had to wait for an unusually long time before realizing again that it wasn’t my year for the program. Unfortunately, I only noticed this when the 2020/2021 Fulbright program application window in Cameroon advanced beyond the interview phase. Because of this, I didn’t apply for the scholarship that year. When the 2021/2022 Fulbright application window opened, I reapplied and breezed through the selection process. On March 15, 2022, I was notified of my offer to pursue an MSc in Environmental and Resource Management at the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering at Arizona State University. On July 02, 2022, I left Cameroon for the Fulbright program which started with pre-academic studies, for 6 weeks, at Drexel University in Philadelphia, and later on, moved to Arizona for graduate studies. It did indeed happen that 2022 was my year for the Fulbright program even though I reapplied after much contemplation.
Fulbrighters in Drexel University during their 2022 pre-graduate studies
During my 4 to 5 years of struggling for the Fulbright award, I realized that one’s selection for the program’s interview is highly centred on the Personal Statement and Study Objective. One needs to write these parts of the application in an essay format, on at least one page, and no longer than two pages each. Also, these parts must be written in one's own words. If you plan to use someone else’s work or research in these essays, you must credit the source at all times. Beware of plagiarism in your application as it is considered a very serious offense!!
Presentations during Fulbright program activities
The Study Objective helps the reviewer of your application to better understand your proposed study goals. Here, you have to describe the program which you intend to pursue in a clear and very detailed manner:
Being specific about your degree objective, major field, and specialized interests within the field.
Explain why you are interested in this area.
Describe how the kind of program which you expect to undertake fits into your educational background, future objectives and goals.
Stating how your study interest is relevant to the current trends/challenges in your home country.
Mention how you intend to apply the knowledge that will be gained in the program upon completion.
Fulbright fellows in Arizona State University during one of their bi-semester come-together event
The personal statement on its part gives applicants the opportunity to introduce themselves to the reviewer in the past, present, and future. In this essay, they should:
Include information about their education, practical experiences, special interests, career plans, and purpose in applying for study.
Explain who they are, what is of importance to them, and what they intend to accomplish in life.
Demonstrate their unique qualifications in the chosen field.
Discuss experiences, people, and events that inspired them to pursue this field of study.
Demonstrate their commitment to the chosen field of study by stating the kind of contribution they want to make or intend to do with the degree.
2 other critical issues that must be given serious attention in order to receive a Fulbright award are the applicant's performances on the TOEFL and GRE. He/she must strive to pass these exams well.
Engagements at a 2023 Fulbright program conference activities in New Orleans
My life and Fulbright story is a narrative marked by dreams, failures, achievements, engagements, and loss of confidence. It reflects what some people have already experienced and the path that others are currently on. It is a tale of what others will experience. It portrays resilience and how quitting a struggle isn’t a solution!
Yes! The famous writer, AMI MORIN, says thus “Quitting because you don’t want to be uncomfortable will prevent you from growing”. Therefore, if we hope to grow, we must keep our dreams alive.
Thanks for your interest in my story. I hope it inspires you!
I wish you Good Luck in your endeavours!
Sincerely,
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