Pa Modou comes from a small country in West Africa, where he witnessed firsthand how education can profoundly transform an individual’s life. Despite being raised in a struggling household unfamiliar with the value of Western education, he was taught the importance of hard work and perseverance by his parents. Although his family lacked the financial means to support his college education, he completed his basic secondary schooling with excellent grades. Determined to pursue a better future, he took on full-time work as a security officer to save money and fund his own education. He then began preparing for a career in technology, aiming to become a tech professional or computer scientist. His short-term goal was to come to the United States and enroll in the Cambridge Community Learning Center’s Bridge to College Program as a stepping-stone toward higher education. Having achieved that goal, a scholarship from First Literacy will allow him to continue his academic journey at Bunker Hill Community College.