• YES Winner/Sponsor: 2005 (Thales Communications S.A.)
• Name/First Name NDIAYE Papa Ibrahima
• Age : 26
• Country of Origin: Senegal
• Country of Study: USA
• Present Country: USA
• Highest degree obtained: Masters in International Business and
Information Assurance, University of Memphis
I discovered the YES Project during my sophomore year. Since I was interested in
the development of telecommunication in Africa, I worked on a project dealing
with a dedicated satellite for Africa. While doing research for that class
project, I found out a link to the ITU website. It’s through the ITU forum
website for young leaders in ICTs that I learned about the YES Scholarship.
The announcement of the YES Scholarship award came at a very decisive time when
I was seeking financial support to continue my studies. Thanks to the YES
Scholarship, I reached my educational goals with high academic achievements. I
successfully completed a Bachelor Degree in Management Information Systems (MIS)
with Honors in 2007. On top of that, I received the Dean’s award for Most
Outstanding Undergraduate student and got admitted to the International MBA and
Information Assurance programs at the University of Memphis. I am expected to
graduate in May 2009.
While studying, I received several practical trainings in Information Technology.
I performed as a Computer Lab Monitor and as a Technical Assistant. The
experiences gained from those two IT positions combined with my educational
background have earned me the current position of Network/Help-desk Intern at
Aerospace Products International (API) which is a company based in Memphis,
Tennessee in USA.
In parallel, I served as a Tech Transfer Intern at the FedEx Institute of
Technology. Those experiences made me realize that the development of the IT
infrastructure in developing countries may not only require the change of local
policies but also young leaders who know how to leverage technical innovations.
With that in mind, I would like to engage in the pursuit of technical and
analytical skills that will help support the mission of organizations such as
ITU and RASCOM in developing the IT infrastructure in Africa.
I cannot say enough about what the YES Scholarship has done for me, but I am
forever grateful to the ITU and its officers for having the initiative to
promote the education of future leaders.
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