"I grew up under the starry skies of Gambia, West Africa, and God gave me a passion for astronomy. At age 10, I determined that I would “learn as much about the stars as I possibly can” and set out with a bunch of books and charts and a pair of binoculars to do just that. One of my high school friends introduced me to Calvin and convinced me to visit the , and I was amazed by the wide range of opportunities for undergraduate astronomy students. Beginning in my first year at Calvin, I collaborated with physics and astronomy professor Larry Molnar on asteroid research, and that research continued and expanded throughout my Calvin career. I co-authored papers and gave presentations on our project, and in my senior year I traveled to Puerto Rico to present our work to an international audience at a planetary science conference. Calvin gave me the background and experience in physics that allowed me to apply to top graduate programs."