From: YPFDJ Media (media@youngpfdj.com)
Date: Fri Sep 25 2009 - 07:20:06 EDT
YPFDJ Dallas's "Big Brother Big Sister" program demystifies the path to
success
YPFDJ Media is conducting a series of interviews with participants of the
5th Annual YPFDJ-NA Conference that was held from September 4th to September
7th in Washington D.C. Here is the interview with Mengesha Tekle, Committee
Chair of YPFDJ Dallas's Eritrean Big Brother Big Sister Program.
YPFDJ Media - Please tell us a little about yourself?
Mengesha - I hold a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from
Georgia Tech '04 and a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from the
University of Florida '08. I'm currently in the R&D Memory Test Chip group
working as a product development group.
YPFDJ Media - YPFDJ Dallas has a project called Eritrean Big Brother Big
Sister Workshop, how does it work and what are the aims of the project?
Mengesha - The Eritrean Big Brother Big Sister program links young Eritreans
in high school with college and professional Eritreans in the Dallas area.
The big brothers and big sisters assist/lead workshops in a classroom
setting during our monthly Saturday programs, but are also assigned to a few
students to take an invested interest in mentoring one-on-one.
The goal of this program is to demystify, and make familiar, the seemingly
difficult path that leads to the dreams and aspirations of the young
students in the Eritrean community. If a student wants to become a doctor,
then this program will link them with a mentor that is in the medical
profession and demonstrate through workshops what will be required of them
in college and medical school.
Another aim of the BBBS program is to expose the students to new and diverse
experiences through volunteer work in the Dallas community. Through
volunteering they also gain leadership skills and a sense of responsibility
that will further prepare them for their future professions.
http://youngpfdj.org/index.php/conferences/north-america-conferences/104-ypf
dj-dallass-big-brother-big-sister-program-demystifies-the-path-to-success
YPFDJ Media - What has been the impact of the project on participants of the
program and YPFDJ?
Mengesha - The program has given the students involved a way to get
together with other motivated youth while getting answers to the many
questions they have about college and the challenges they will face. We are
also attempting to find funding to provide scholarships for the students to
alleviate the burdens of higher education on the families. Our YPFDJ group
has benefited from this program because it has identified a young group of
students that we've been able to call upon when needing help with other
programs we hold.
YPFDJ Media - in carrying out this project YPFDJ engages with community
directly, how is the feedback of the community?
Mengesha - The community has received the program very well. We get
feedback from parents who want to donate money to keep the program going and
hear from parents that want their son or daughter in the program when they
begin high school.
YPFDJ Media - What was your impression or the highlights of the conference?
Mengesha - My impression of the conference was that it was a great meeting
place for all the chapters to come together and share ideas. At least for
the Dallas chapter, it unified our vision and goals of the group.
YPFDJ Media - What are the benefits of the conference for the youth in
general and individuals in particular?
Mengesha - I think the youth get to see how large the movement is. Seeing
over 500 young Eritreans converge on a small campus with a passion for their
country and they community is pretty powerful and motivating. On an
individual basis, the conference is a great place for people to network with
other YPFDJ members involved in projects similar to their own.
YPFDJ Media - How did you become interested in your profession?
Mengesha - I wanted to be an engineer since I was in middle school; it came
from a passion to always know how things worked. I'd take apart remote
control cars and anything electronic as a child. Around the age of 16 I
started building electronic circuits and learning how to put back-together
the cars I took apart when I was younger. That's the reason why I became an
electrical engineer.
YPFDJ Media - Who are your Mentors or people you look up to?
Mengesha - Much of my success comes from my personal drive and
determination. I get that from my mother, so she is the one I look up to and
probably the best mentor I've had.