International Student Profiles share perspectives from Lehigh students from around the world! Boniface Mwangangi Kyalo, ‘22 is a member of our Integrated Business and Engineering program, with a particular interest in Economics. We sat down to chat with Boniface—here’s what he had to say..
Hometown: Machakos, Kenya
Why did you choose to attend Lehigh? I primarily chose Lehigh due to its presence in Silicon Valley and its unique entrepreneurial programs, i.e., Global Entrepreneurial Fellowship, the Startup Academy and the Baker Institute. Lehigh offered unique interdisciplinary programs such as the Integrated Business Engineering honors program, and it also had a breadth of concentrations to explore. In addition, I desired to attend a mid-sized school with a great student-to-faculty, and Lehigh was a perfect fit. Lehigh also offered a generous financial aid package that would make my education experience seamless.
What is your favorite academic experience? My favorite class to date is Prof. Todd Watkins’ Microfinance: Financial Inclusion for The Poor. I grew up in Nairobi City, where I used to see microfinance banks and mobile money kiosks littered all over, but I never understood their role in alleviating poverty. This class significantly changed my understanding of poverty and the role of Economics in mitigating the same. It also inspired my career plans, and I hope to become an entrepreneur within the microfinance space.
What helped with your adjustment to life at Lehigh and in the US? I am an extrovert with an outgoing personality who is open to people and experience, and I was not shy of putting myself out there during the first few weeks. I was lucky to meet and hang out with a couple of Lehigh students who had traveled to Kenya before and during summer and got to make Lehigh friends before I came here. I met a vibrant Kenyan community that introduced me to the greater African community hence had a decent support system. I was also in the R.A.R.E. and the StartItUp pre-orientation programs that provided opportunities to forge friendships before orientation started.