The Professor who has Impacted my Academic Journey by Zechariah

The Professor who has Impacted my Academic Journey by Zechariah - January 2025 Scholarship Essay

My name is Zechariah Lucy, and I am a junior at Tennessee State University. When I first started college as a first-year student back in 2022, I was a little nervous about what was to come, and all that college would be and bring. I am a computer science major and love everything about programming, AI, cyber security, and computer languages. Now that I am an upper-class man, I have embraced this journey of learning and can thank many and one in particular, notably my teacher/professor and mentor Dr. Ali S. Sekman. He was my Computer Programming instructor. He made my initial journey outstanding in many ways.

For starters, Dr. Sekman is not only an expert he is highly approachable. This made it possible for me as a novice to approach him for a better understanding of the subject. I totally enjoyed his class as my journey began because he pushed me to be a critical thinker about programming. He challenged me to think better, work smarter and be a better student. This ultimately has helped me become not only a better student overall, but a better person. This journey in computer science has been hard, yet I am now an honor roll student due to the mentorship of Professor Sekman. This has impacted me greatly and will continue to spearhead my success moving forward.

Ultimately, I see this as a blueprint for paying it forward. At some point in my life, I too see myself as mentoring and tutoring others for setting the groundwork for lifetime success.