Mouhamedoul Niang
University of Wisconsin, French
Home country: Senegal

I was born in March 20th, 1974 in Thiès, Senegal. I am from a family of 11 and a practicing Muslim. Although my parents laid a strong emphasis on religious education, they also made sure that I went to French school. I was educated in a French school system, but I went on to major in English in college and my middle school English teacher played a significant part in this decision. As far as significant life-experiences, they boil down to three. First, the four years I spent on the campus of Gaston Berger University located in the cultural city of Saint-Louis in northern Senegal. They were years of enjoyment and learning. Second, my coming to America; one can just imagine how much a privilege contributed and is continuing to contribute to my academic and personal enrichment. Last, but not least, is my marriage at age 28 to my beautiful wife. With respect to my noteworthy achievements, many come to mind. Topping the list of those who succeeded in the challenging baccalaureate exam at the end of my high school years was one I am really proud of. I went on to obtain a Bachelor’s degree at Gaston Berger University in 1998, a Master’s degree in English at East Tennessee State University in 2001 and a Master’s degree in French at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004. I was a recipient of a Study Abroad Scholarship in 1998, which led to my coming to the USA. Three major awards were also discerned to me for my excellent academic achievements and performance, two at ETSU (1999-2000 and 2000-2001) and one at UW-Madison (April, 2005). The Compton Fellowship is a significant addition to this list.