This is “How are you?” in the local language of Harare Zimbabwe, where Twanda Ngorima is from. Interestingly enough, Ngorima does not have a noticeable accent when he speaks English. The first question I asked him was, “Why can I understand you so well when I struggle to understand some of the other international students?”
Ngorima explained that Zimbabwe is in the southern part of Africa and was colonized by the British so during most of his school years English was the primary language.
Ngorima is an absolutely fascinating young man who is very intelligent and focused on his studies. He knows what he wants and has his mission planned on how to get it. Ngorima is a senior majoring in pre-med. He has already started the process of filling out paperwork hoping to get accepted to the University of Kansas, Wake Forest or St. Louis University.
His parents are in the teaching field in his native country and made it clear from an early age he was to raise the bar from what they are doing. They have their master’s degrees.
At an early age, a study table was set up for him and his brother. His parents continue to quiz him on his learning when they talk to him to make sure MVC has him on course, he said.
When this reporter caught up with him by phone the day after Thanksgiving, he was in Chicago with his brother. His brother went to school at Central Methodist, then moved to St. Louis. Now that he is married, he recently moved to the Chicago area.
Ngorima is fortunate to have family fairly nearby, though he has spent some summers and holidays on campus. He understands the loneliness of an empty campus too.
He can also thank his brother for scoping out MVC.
When he was debating between MVC and William Jewell, his brother visited both campuses and read up on both colleges’ statistics. He reported that MVC was the better choice.
Four years later, Ngorima agrees. He has met a lot of people and seen a lot of various blendings of the cultures through the international program. If you haven’t figured by now out what scholarship Ngorima has — it’s academic, of course.
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