Park University student Mika Mahyenga traveled 7,688 miles to the United States from his home country of Tanzania in pursuit of academic achievements.

Mahyenga, who is 21-year-old, studies economics and came to the U.S. in 2011. Mahyenga says his parents wanted better education for him and his sister.

“If you have children, you will never want to waste their talents, so my father saw an academic potential in me and decided to invest in it,” Mahyenga says.

Since he was young, his parents have been preparing for him to study in the U.S. This preparation happened when he was in primary school. His father wanted him to earn his degree in the U.S.  In Tanzania, a degree from American universities carries more academic qualification. Therefore, it is highly accredited and respected in job markets.

In addition, he acknowledges his own commitment to work hard in school makes his father’s dream reality. This leads him to maintain number one constantly among the top five students in the class. He says he was always competing for number one.

His high school’s graduation was important to his family, he says. It was a milestone in his academic’s achievement. Mahyenga says happiness and excitement brought family, friends, classmates and neighbors to celebrate his success. However, this time, he was looking for more educational achievements in the west.

Looking for right university from Tanzania takes time and it requires research. Although there are many universities in the U.S., some of them are not fully accredited. In search for better school, his father contacted a Tanzanian friend who studied in the US. Mahyenga says his father was looking for information about Americans’ universities. His father’s friend was a former student from Park University connecting Mahyenga to Park.

“It was affordable, creditable and had a good atmosphere for international students,” Mahyenga says.

He says it is crucial for international students to know about the university they want to attend, such as names, credentials, tuition or safety.

Mahyenga is now a sophomore and says he loves to study. Hence, he may continue to study until he earns a doctorate degree. After earning his doctorate, he says he will go back to his country to teach.

Mahyenga says he plans to invest knowledge in uplifting his country. In doing so, he wants to teach economics. He will be teaching and researching for economic development in Tanzania. He says his teaching will bring change to the country.

“It’s always contacts and one’s willingness to perform the change,” Mahyenga says.

Mahyenga says he is thinking about reducing poverty in his country through his academic research and teaching.