MassBay Community College Annual Report 2022-2023

MassBay Mechanical Engineering Alum Transfers to Yale University

“Going to an Ivy League university was always my goal. It’s the American dream I grew up watching in the movies, and that is where I wanted to go to earn my degree,” said Jesse. “My dad always gave me and my siblings the belief that we could go to any college if we worked hard enough and prayed that God would bless the work of our hands. In 2021, I was living in Botswana and applying to colleges in the U.S., but received many rejection letters. I tried to stay focused and positive, telling myself it was a delay in God’s will, not an ultimate denial. Then, I learned about community colleges as an affordable way to begin the pursuit of my higher educational goals. I knew if I wanted to go to an Ivy League school like Yale, I would need to not only be the best in my class, but among the best in the world. MassBay played a critical role in helping me become such a student to ultimately secure the spot I now hold at Yale.” While at MassBay, Jesse was very highly engaged in campus life, holding positions such as the vice president of academic affairs for the Student Government Association, was an active member of the

Kingdom Bible study group, the international club, and was a peer tutor and a peer mentor. He participated as a mentee in the STEM Mentor Program, was a member of the Students of Color program, played center back for the Men’s soccer team, and served as a Career Services early college and career technical specialist. Jesse’s dedication and achievements were acknowledged with an induction into the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society. He was further recognized as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa All- Massachusetts academic team for 2023, and his outstanding performance, achieving the highest score on the team, earned him the state’s Phi Theta Kappa New Century Transfer Pathway scholarship. Jesse was also part of the MassBay three-student Math Challenge Team, who received Meritorious recognition in the international competition SIMIODE Challenge Using Differential Equations Modeling (SCUDEM) VII 2022. Jesse earned a spot on the dean’s list every semester with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

MassBay mechanical engineering alum ‘23 Jesse Okoche of Weymouth, MA, transferred to Yale University, where he is a double major in mechanical engineering and political science. Jesse was born and raised in Botswana and came to the United States in 2022, with hopes of earning his associate degree and then continuing his studies at an Ivy League school.

Jesse Okoche graduated from MassBay on May 25, 2023, earning his Associate of Science degree in mechanical engineering and began classes at Yale University in August 2023, with a double major in mechanical engineering and political science. He was one of three graduates honored at the 2023 MassBay Commencement Ceremony for earning the All-College Academic Award for earning a perfect 4.0 GPA, as well as receiving the All-Division Award for having the highest GPA in the academic division of STEM, and the All- Program Award for reaching the highest GPA in his program, mechanical engineering. Jesse’s future goals include completing his bachelor’s degree at Yale University and pursuing a master’s degree. His aspiration is to gain expertise in solar power, with the intention of applying his knowledge to benefit his home country of Botswana.

“I knew if I wanted to go to an Ivy League school like Yale, I would need to not only be the best in my class, but among the best in the world. MassBay played a critical role in helping me become such a student to ultimately secure the spot I now hold at Yale.” – Jesse Okoche

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