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INSIDE MOREHOUSE, OCTOBER 2012
Opportunity of a Lifetime
10 African Students Receive Scholarships to Become Men of Morehouse
BY KARA FENNER WALKER AND ADD SEYMOUR JR.
I t’s the day that the five young Africans wearing “Future
Men of Morehouse” t-shirts have been waiting for all
summer. Their 16-hour flight was about to culminate
in Atlanta, their first time in the United States, and their
lives were about to change forever.
“Coming to Atlanta, we had so many expectations,”
said freshman Abel Gumbo. “We were excited to actu
ally be on the plane. We weren’t seeing it all on television.
We are here. We’re just looking forward to seeing what lies
ahead.”
Gumbo, Prince Abundu, Takudzwa Feso, Delight
Magadza and Tenha Lovemore were the first of ten stu
dents arriving from African villages to attend Morehouse
as the inaugural group of Ambassador Andrew Young
International Scholars. The other five are Hamim Nitena,
Prosper Dzanwa, Jonathan Penduka, Brice Ndayisenga and
Edmond Mariga.
They are part of what has become one of the most
diverse groups of first year classes that the College has had
in years, said Kevin Williams ’85, dean of Admissions. The
class, which has nearly 700 students, includes young men
from 39 states and 10 different countries.
“This is very exciting,” said Williams. “We have a
strong international group - more than double what we
normally have had. And we not only have the numbers, the
shape of the class is strong, too. Their average grade point
average is around 3.3 and their SAT scores are close to 1100.”
But this group is even more special. Coming from small
villages in Zimbabwe and Burundi, they were either orphans
or double orphans (lost both of their parents) and lived
in impoverished conditions. Still they were some of their
nation’s top students.
In June, they applied to be Young Scholars in a pro
gram that Zimbabwean businessman Strive Masiyiwa saw
as a way to educate African men at an institution that he
admired for its development of men. Then after graduat
ing, the students will bring home a new knowledge base that
they will use to improve conditions in their own countries.
The program is funded through Masiyiwa’s Fligher Life
Foundation.
The young men got on their first airplane on Aug. 6
and flew to Atlanta, where they were greeted by Morehouse
staff and upperclassmen. The next several hours were filled
with new experiences, such as their first American meal,
which was at the International House of Pancakes, and their
first glimpse of Morehouse College.
Gumbo was surprised by the size of the College’s bas
ketball facility, Forbes Arena. Abundu was used to a lot
more open space and fewer buildings. All of them have
been ecstatic at how well they’ve been treated in the Atlanta
University Center.
“I’ve been excited about what I was going to see, how
was it different from back home. I was very curious to see,”
said Abundu. “And then being in the United States, I was
looking forward to a lot of things like some things I saw on
television. I have just been fascinated and a lot has been
going through my mind.”
Feso added: “I dreamed that I’d would actually come
to Morehouse and to the United States. My dreams have
come true.” H
Top: Sophmore Brandon Thorpe greets Hamim Nitena, Prosper Dzanwa,
Jonathan Penduka and Brice Ndayisenga.
Bottom: Julius Coles '64, executive director of the Leadership Center at
Morehouse College, speaks to the Young Scholars.
Chinese Moon Festival Brings a
Taste of China to Morehouse
THE MOREHOUSE COMMUNITY experienced a bit of Chinese
culture during the 3 r< ^ Annual Chinese Moon Festival, which was
held in the Kilgore Campus Center on Friday, Sept. 28.
Presented by the Chinese Studies Program and the Morehouse
Chinese Club, the Festival featured demonstrations of Chinese
paper cutting demonstration and tea-tasting etiquette and cultural
presentations by Chinese Studies students.
“Everybody was impressed,” said Henrietta Yang, director of
the Chinese Studies Program. “It was wonderful.” ■
Miss Maroon and White Named
HBCU Hall of Fame Queen
Miss Maroon and White 2012-13, Jasmine Matthews, won first place in the
HBCU Hall of Fame Queens and Kings Competition on Sept. 29. Matthews, a
senior at Spelman College, was competing with 19 other HBCU campus queens.
She won $3,500, a plaque and a crown. Matthews was coached by Michael
Gary, assistant director for Student Life.