The Educator Within: How My Father Shaped My Learning by Ruth

The Educator Within: How My Father Shaped My Learning by Ruth - March 2023 Scholarship Essay

I inherited my love for learning from my father.

He was born in the heart of Ethiopia to a family of 17, and always had a love for learning, a love he made sure to instill in me. His value for his education led him to perform exceptionally well in school and to become the first member of his family to enroll in college. Although he was pursuing his higher education close to home, he received the golden opportunity to live in America. Even though he had never been away from home before, especially 8,000 miles away, he nevertheless made his family proud by receiving both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UTD. His upbringing taught him the value of education and what it could accomplish for a person.

My father passed his lessons and values to me and made sure to nourish my education, from teaching me my ABC's to assisting me with my Calculus 2 integration homework. Compared to other parents, my dad made sure that I enjoyed learning rather than feeling forced to learn or pushing me. He did this by making sure I wasn’t only learning in the classroom but also outside of it. The experiences I gained outside of school helped me obtain killer basketball skills, a greater understanding of politics, a love for journalism, and an interest in computer science.

Besides nurturing my learning, my father taught me many lessons that I have used throughout my education. His lessons range from stories in the Bible about King Solomon's wisdom to the ones he hears on KERA, his favorite radio station. Every story my father has told me always had a message that would tie back to my education, insights on the importance of hard work, dedication, and facing adversity. I learned from his stories that success in education does not only stem from completing assignments given to you and studying, but also from your mind and morals.

My father always tells me he is proud of me for my accomplishments, achievements, and leadership, but I hope he knows that I am proud of him as well. I am proud of his achievements in education, how he continues to learn, how he supports his family back in Ethiopia, and his contributions to me and my sisters’ education.

Thank you Dad!