|
 "Every day that I live, I strive to be engaged…engaged with the continent of Africa." said Samuel Locoh-Donou, 26, former president of the African Diaspora Club at Towson University. "It is my duty to teach young people how to do the same."
A man of many talents centered in himself and in the principles by which he lives by, Samuel Locoh-Donou is passionate, caring and dedicated.
Born to Togolese parents in Strasbourg, France on April 28, 1981, Locoh-Donou is the eldest of three children. He has two sisters; Myriam, 25, who lives in the south of France and works as an interpreter, and Pascal, 18, who resides in Lome, Togo with their parents. He inherited his love of the medical field and his passion for providing for the needy from his father, a pediatrician and his mother, a family physician who run one of the most successful clinics in all of West Africa.
“Spending my childhood and teenage years in my beautiful homeland strengthened my love for the land and its people,” Locoh-Donou said. “However, witnessing the decay of my country and being forced into political exile for two years in Ghana with my family at the age of 12 shaped my views on the need for activism and fueled my desire for a stronger Africa; politically, economically and socially.” With a determination unknown to most his age, he sought to travel the world and acquire the knowledge and skills needed to rebuild his country, but most importantly, the continent of Africa. Leaving behind the comforts of home and his family and driven by his belief that, “What Africa is today is a test for human initiative, human courage and intelligence,” his travels took him to Ghana, France, Germany and ultimately, the United States to further his education.
As his eyes took in his lush new surroundings; the place he would call home for the next five years, Locoh-Donou was not sure of what would take place during his time at Towson University. From the first day he stepped on the campus, he had a clear mission; “I am here for a reason, my goal is to become a medical doctor and go back to Africa where life is sometimes harsh, but always beautiful.” Immersing himself in cultural and scholarly activities, Locoh-Donou set out not to make a name for himself, but to have an impact on the face of the university. Inevitably, he believed, students, faculty and administration would come to realize that, “Africa is a force to be reckoned with.”
Steadily climbing up the ranks in various leadership positions, Locoh-Donou soon found himself involved in numerous organizations and honor societies. Inducted into both the National Society for Collegiate Scholars and the National Residence Hall Honorary; he volunteered as a math, physics, biology and French tutor and as a mentor in the Students Achieve Goals Through Education program. Believing, like Winston Churchill, that, “we make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give,” he also found the time to serve as an International Resident Assistant, a vaccine research scholar, Co-Director of Ambassadors for a New Africa and president of the African Diaspora Club all while maintaining above-average grades.
He was awarded the Best Multicultural Program award and the Best Programming award in 2005. Walking by the display case in the University Union, he is reminded of one of his most memorable awards received: the Vice President of Student Affairs Leadership Award for excellence in leadership and academics. Recipients of this award have their name inscribed on a plaque that is mounted on the wall of the student union. As the Stacy Idoye Medical Scholarship award recipient in 2006, Locoh-Donou feels as though he is building a legacy in which he will be remembered for “inspiring people to live their lives at the right place spiritually, professionally, and socially.”
After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Pre-Medical Biology, he continues to press forward believing that there is still so much to accomplish. “I am like a pilgrim,” he says. “All of my life I have been walking...walking towards my goals. I pause to smell the roses along the way, but I will never stop moving until I fulfill the plan that God has for me.” Taking a one year break before the start of medical school, he hopes to attend either Johns Hopkins or Georgetown in 2008. In the meantime, he continues to shape his plans for the future. This includes finding ways in which he can successfully create wealth in the Unites Sates that can be eported back to Africa to serve the needs of his people. Dreams of opening a chain of clinics all over Africa and fundraising over $10,000 annually to assist African students in the U.S. speaks highly of the three adjectives he uses to describe himself: passionate, bold and loving.
“African people are amongst the brightest, yet they remain the poorest in the world.” To him, “there should be African solutions to African problems. Africans must take charge of their own destiny; not only in words but also in thoughts and actions.”
It is hard to imagine that a man so busy with tackling world conditions head-on would find the time to relax and enjoy his hobbies. However, when time permits, Locoh-Donou enjoys writing poetry, drumming, exercising and collecting records but most importantly, strengthening his relationship with God and staying in tune with his purpose on this earth. He believes that, “We can only achieve true happiness by living for others...the complete gift of ourselves...for others. This is when we fully realize ourselves as human beings and children of God.”
|
