My name is Benjamin Eshun. I was born and raised in Ghana, West Africa. I spoke Akan at home and learned English at school. Growing up bilingual helped me understand how language, culture, and identity shape the way we learn and connect with others. When I moved to the United States in 2023 to join my mother, I brought with me the dreams of my family and a strong desire to use my education to uplift others. My journey into education began with loss. Malaria affected my family, and I witnessed my grandfather succumb to it while I survived. That moment showed me how fragile life can be. More importantly, it motivated me to seek knowledge so I could help prevent others from experiencing similar pain. At first, I dreamed of becoming a doctor, but I later realized that education itself can also heal. Through my volunteer work at Berkshire Medical Center and the mentorship of supportive teachers, I learned how knowledge, compassion, and guidance can change lives. As an African immigrant, bilingual learner, and Black male student, I know how important representation is in education. Too often, students of color do not see themselves in the educators around them. Since Black men make up only 2 percent of the teaching workforce in the United States, I recognize that my presence in the classroom can promote change. My ambition is to become a physician and to serve as a professor who inspires and trains future healthcare providers. In that role, I want to demonstrate resilience, cultural pride, and the belief that excellence is achievable regardless of one’s background. I am currently working toward a degree in Natural and Physical Sciences with a focus on Biology at Berkshire Community College. This program is providing me with a solid foundation for my medical goals and my long-term aim of teaching. As a future educator, I hope to create an inclusive classroom where students from all backgrounds feel capable of pursuing knowledge and discovering their potential. I want to promote compassion and ethical service while also bridging cultural and language gaps for bilingual and immigrant students who, like me, might struggle to find their voice in a new system. Education is a powerful tool for equity, and diverse educators are essential for unlocking that potential. I believe my experiences, background, and passion can help me make a lasting difference in both healthcare and education. By mentoring, teaching, and overcoming barriers, I aim to inspire the next generation of learners to view education not merely as a requirement but as a lifelong journey of growth and empowerment. Receiving the Mark A. Jefferson Teaching Scholarship would not only support my dreams but also allow me to further its mission of fighting for a more equitable future by shaping classrooms that reflect, respect, and empower all students.

I am Benjamin Eshun. I was born and nurtured in Ghana, an African country along the Atlantic Ocean. I was raised speaking Akan, an African language, but I attended a school where English was used as a language of instruction. Hence, English is my second language. I spent most of my life with my father because my mother worked overseas. However, not long after my sophomore year in high school, I had to join my mother in the United States. At first, it felt conflicting, but upon giving it a second thought, I realized it was for my good. I arrived in the city of Pittsfield in Massachusetts on the 21st of March,2023 with a little knowledge of what season it is. Fresh and chilling winds of the Spring season were the first to swirl me a greeting and remind me of my change in environment. I constantly stayed indoors for the first two months; something I adore and hate, paradoxical right? Anyway, back in Africa, I might have a very loving family. However, what can I do when the overwhelming headache and fatigue of “Malaria” impairs the frail bodies of both my grandfather and me even when we are on medications? All that we get to do is silently succumb to the deathly threats that “Malaria” accommodates us with. I can say that I am stronger than my grandfather because he faded away just like how my “Malaria” faded away. Since then, I have learned how susceptible one can be to death through a disease. One might not want to have anything to do with diseases afterward. Nevertheless, the death of my grandfather impassioned me and even made me more curious about how to solicit knowledge and skills to treat and cure diseases. Based on my research and experiences, getting a resounding education to work in the health sector can quench my “curiosity”. It has therefore been a dream of mine to work in the health sector in the future and my sole purpose for being in the United States is to get enrolled in an affordable higher educational institute to start the journey of achieving my goals. Throughout my previous years in high school, I received an overwhelming amount of help from my teachers and friends which has made me gleeful daily. In effect, I have acquired the principle of showing gratitude as a value in addition to my resilient, optimistic, empathetic, and ethical self-image. I have, therefore, been motivated to give back whatever skill, value, or quality I acquire to society. I plan on working in the health sector back in my country or anywhere around the world after I substantiate myself with all the knowledge and skills I need to become a physician.