From Ethiopia to Aurora: One Student’s Drive to Pay-It Forward

I met Cheru at a coffee shop in Aurora to talk to him about his experience as a Colorado State University-Global Campus student. We’d exchanged only a few emails prior to meeting so I didn’t know much about his story, but it didn’t take long for me to understand just how important Cheru’s education is to him and why. Now in the final stretch of earning his B.S. in Human Services, Cheru is close to doing something he’s wanted to do for years: pay-it-forward.

As a native Ethiopian, Cheru faced life-threatening political unrest in his home country and was forced to seek safety in South Africa and later in the United States. Through the United Nations’ resettlement program, community-based organizations, and scholarship programs, Cheru was able to create a life for himself and his family in Aurora, Colorado. Although his journey to this point was long and challenging, it served as the motivation and inspiration for him to earn his degree and keep striving toward his goal.

…Cheru wanted to help people in similar positions to himself. Career-relevant education was exactly what he needed.

A Hero in the Community

He wants be the people who helped him. As a political refugee, Cheru received help from counselors and non-profit humanitarian organizations to get him resettled in the U.S., established as a naturalized citizen, get access to education, navigate resources, and teach him the customs of his new home. Armed with this positive experience, Cheru wanted to help people in similar positions to himself. Career-relevant education was exactly what he needed.

When Cheru first moved to Aurora he applied for, and was awarded, a scholarship by the city and county of Denver to attend Emily Griffith Technical College in Denver. He knew that in order to be successful he would need to learn the way business is done, and that meant seeking an education. Cheru learned Microsoft Windows, typing, and a variety of other communication skills – just what he needed to land his first job in the United States. Cheru was first hired as a clerk in Englewood, but his real goal was to become a social worker, case manager, or counselor.

He moved closer to that goal but was still striving to earn the education he needed to join the helping professions. Cheru was accepted at Metropolitan State University but couldn’t make the mandatory class times, locations, and commute while he maintained his full-time job. That’s when he heard about CSU Global.

The CSU Global Advantage

The nontraditional format of CSU Global allows Cheru to earn his degree while he continues to support his family financially. Cheru’s wife and children support his decision to invest in his future on an ongoing basis despite the obstacles he’s had to overcome. Furthermore, Cheru is happy to serve as a role model to his kids and community, emphasizing the importance of education.

Now only 4 courses from completing his degree, Cheru is already putting what he’s learned into practice. As a respected member of his community association and church, Cheru volunteers as a marriage counselor to parish members. He also maintains his connection to Ethiopia by creating friendships and serving as a resource for incoming or established immigrants.

The thing that struck me most about Cheru was his pay-it-forward way of thinking. He never mentioned money, power, or glory being his motivation for advancing his education. He just wants to give other people in need exactly what he’s been given: a chance.

I ended our interview by asking if there was anything else he wanted me to know for this blog post. He asked me to emphasize how thankful he is to the U.S. government for all the rights and freedoms he’s been granted here that he was not afforded in his native country. With his drive, resiliency, and ability to access resources, this is one CSU Global graduate that will go on to do amazing things, both in his community of Aurora and globally. Cheru’s story is just one of many inspirational college stores of student who have found a path to their degree at CSU Global.

If you think CSU Global can provide a similar path to the career and future you want, visit us at CSUGlobal.edu and complete the form on this page to receive more information.