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Program Alumni

Emmanuel Akosah '19

Ghana

Emmanuel's high school experiences in his home city of Kumasi, Ghana influenced his decision to attend Dartmouth. As the president of the mathematics club, he introduced similar clubs in schools around the country, with the goal of opening people's minds to the opportunities that education presents.

Emmanuel is studying engineering and hopes to return to Ghana to work on industrial technology after graduation to set an example of entrepreneurship and hard work for the people of his country. "I worry that people my age in Ghana have a perception that things are not going well because of bad governance; rather, I believe it is because we have never had a system in place that allows for a culture of hard work to develop."

On being a King Scholar, Emmanuel says, "I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of the program. Aside from already being exposed to a ton of resources and amazing people, I am inspired by all that Bob and Dottie [King] have accomplished."

Internships & Projects:

  • College Application Seminar, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Virtual reality computer science research, Hanover, NH

Cherrie Kandie '18

Nairobi, Kenya

Cherrie chose Dartmouth for the caliber of education made possible by small classes and caring, talented teachers. Her time at Dartmouth has been impacted by the community she found while living in the Global Village in McLaughlin Hall her freshman year. Outside of class, she devotes her time to writing, film, and Soyeya African Dance Group.

Following graduation, Cherrie plans to return to Nairobi to help her country and community through her interests in creative writing and the humanities. Pointing to Kenya’s natural beauty and diverse culture, she says, “There is so much potential for tremendous growth.” She credits the King Scholars program for giving her the chance to make an impact on Kenya and to “become a thousand times better version of myself.”

Internships & Projects:

  • Amalion Publishing, Dakar, Senegal
  • Film documentary project, Kenya

Faith Rotich '18

Eldoret, Kenya

Faith applied to Dartmouth because she wanted a college with the facilities of a big research university, but small enough to be a community. As a King Scholar, Faith has taken advantage of opportunities to attend conferences in Washington, D.C., meet professionals in different fields, and intern with organizations like the World Justice Project. But she also notes a different kind of opportunity: “Dartmouth has given me an American family. The Kings are amazing people. It has been wonderful to spend time with them.”

A math and economics major, Faith hopes to pursue a career in actuarial science and later use these skills in the field of economic development. She is also passionate about education and addressing the issues girls in her community face. She plans to open an educational rescue center for girls at risk of early marriage and genital mutilation, which is still practiced in some areas of western Kenya.

For Faith, being a King Scholar means that this plan is closer to reality: “It’s going to be possible to start planning my school while I’m an undergraduate. We’re funded during our third year to go back home and work on a project—to start creating something, which is an amazing opportunity.”

Internships & Projects:

  • World Justice Project, Washington, D.C.
  • Poultry farm start-up project, Mt. Elgon, Kenya

Eric Iradukunda '17

Kigali, Rwanda

When Eric was four, his father was killed in the Rwandan genocide, so his mother moved Eric and his three siblings to a village in eastern Rwanda, where he tended neighbors’ cows in order to sell milk for the family to survive, an experience he greatly enjoyed: “It felt good having responsibility at a young age.” Later, Eric lived with his mother’s friends in Uganda to attend school, but never forgot his time in the village and the way his mother held their family together.

After high school, Eric’s interest in studying abroad led him to learn about Dartmouth and, eventually, the King Scholar Program. “The responsibility that comes with being a King Scholar was very appealing to me,” Eric says. A Film and Media Studies major, Eric hopes to return to Rwanda after graduation to help his countrymen improve their communities and better their lives.

“What the Kings are trying to do through this program is noble and inspiring to me. I feel blessed to be a King Scholar.”

Marc Sepama '17

Burkina Faso

Marc chose Dartmouth because of its rural setting and small size, which enabled him to work closely with classmates and professors throughout his college career. Through new connections at Dartmouth and the King Scholars Program, he seized on opportunities to participate in several off-campus experiences: a social innovation internship in Doringbaai, South Africa, an Economics program at the University of Warwick, and an internship with the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index in D.C. He also credits his Dartmouth connections with an increased ability to problem-solve and use teamwork to address complex issues.

An Economics major, Marc hopes to take all the skills and tools he acquired at Dartmouth to help people in his home country of Burkina Faso start their own businesses, so that they can learn to be independent, rather than relying on the government to provide what they need.

As a King Scholar, Marc has been most excited to meet and be inspired by the like-minded individuals who make up the program: “Even though we all come from different places, our countries face the same issues: high unemployment and a high rate of poverty.”

Post-graduation: Helen Keller International – Washington, D.C., Burkina Faso, & Guinea, 2017-Present

Theo Wilson '17

St. Catherine, Jamaica

Theo was raised in a rural area of the St. Catherine Parish in southern Jamaica. His neighborhood is plagued by violence, deteriorated roads, and a scarcity of job opportunities. Theo hopes to use his experiences as a Dartmouth student and King Scholar to address issues like those in the area where he grew up, focusing on education as well as renewable energy.

An Economics major, Theo was always active throughout campus and took advantage of opportunities to work on research projects with Professor of Education Emeritus Andrew Garrod, study economics in Peru, and intern at home in Jamaica with Portland Private Equity, which makes investments in the Caribbean region.

“Being a King Scholar has been immensely helpful in my academic and social life, has allowed me to live in a learning community that focuses on important issues to me that I want to address back home; it has also provided me with an extraordinary family,” he says. “I am thankful for the generosity of the King family and I am proud to be a King Scholar.”

Post-graduation: Capital Group – Los Angeles, CA 2017-Present