When DJ came to Minnesota from Lagos, Nigeria, he had a few goals in mind. Born in New Jersey in 1980, he’d emigrated to the African nation with his parents when he was 2 years old and stayed there through high school. While growing up, he found himself fascinated with both computer technology and foreign cultures. That made MCTC a logical fit. In addition to the College’s solid academics, its diverse student body makeup offered DJ the chance to interact with people from different backgrounds. “I was curious to meet people from other cultures, so I liked MCTC’s diversity,” he said.

Indeed, he quickly plunged into college life, working hard on his studies, signing up for extracurricular activities, and volunteering extensively, including reading to school children, helping coordinate book drives, and serving as a peer tutor. The efforts didn’t go unnoticed. He earned a handful of scholarships, including the prestigious All-USA College Academic First Team Scholarship, that largely paid for his MCTC education. He was also selected to the Phi Theta Kappa national honor society.

“I really enjoyed my time at MCTC,” he said. “In fact, I appreciated it even more when I transferred to the University of Minnesota after earning my associate of art’s degree. At the U, I had little financial aid, the classes were much larger and you had minimal contact with the professors. It was more of a challenge.”

Nonetheless, he managed, graduating from the U of M in 2005 with a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering and then from the University of St. Thomas in 2007 with a master of science degree in software engineering.

Today he’s employed as a software engineer at Boston Scientific, a global medical device company. And while he says it is a satisfying job (he programs and tests user interfaces for heart pacemakers and defibrillator monitors), he is still looking ahead. He plans to take French classes at MCTC and hopes to pursue an MBA at the INSEAD Business School in Paris. His ultimate goals: work and live overseas, perhaps in Africa again, and develop an entrepreneurial venture. No matter where he goes, however, he said he will always feel gratitude toward MCTC. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my college career. The experience prepared me well.”

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