Enoch Sowah
Liberal Arts and Science
Hostos Student Ambassador
ASAP Student
Enoch Sowah was born in Accra-Ghana, West Africa in 1991 and grew up with his mother and two older sisters. He attended Prempeh College, an all-boys boarding school in Kumasi Ghana. In high school, Enoch became heavily involved in student politics and debate. He represented the school at every debate competition and won several awards and received recognition for his efforts. He subsequently became Vice President of the Debate club. Not happy with student involvement and certain school policies, Enoch and three other friends formed the “Fabulous Four” a student group dedicated to empowering fellow students, channeling and championing student causes to the appropriate school authorities. The group gained so much momentum, polarity and success, that Enoch was elected to serve as Secretary of the Student Government.
After graduating high school in 2009, Enoch relocated to the United States to join his Dad. Coming to the United States was both challenging and exciting for Enoch. It was challenging because what he had to leave behind was so valuable to him and it was exciting, because the journey that lay before him, seemed even in those early moments to be filled with endless possibilities.
Enoch came to New York with a plan to enroll in college and begin to pursue a career in International Relations and Health. He spent the next six months trying to understand the correct application process for immigrant students to get into college. He chose to earn a GED, in the hopes that this would enable a smoother transition into college. Enoch obtained his GED in February of 2010.
In the fall of 2010, Enoch enrolled at Hostos Community College and was immediately recruited into the ASAP program. After a few months at Hostos, Enoch was looking for an outlet for his passion for debating and decided to interview for participation in the Hostos Student Leadership Academy’s Student Ambassador Program. In the winter of 2010, Enoch became a member and has benefited tremendously from the program.
In spring 2011, Enoch along with 14 other members of the Leadership Academy represented Burkina Faso at the National Model United Nations Conference-New York. At the conference, Enoch served as a delegate on the GA 3 Committee, where they discussed topical issues, such as: Human Rights, Cultural Integration and Diversity, Promoting Alternative Development to Combat the Illegal Drug trade and the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while countering Terrorism.
In the same month as the Model UN, Enoch was selected to participate and served at the New York State Model Senate Session Project (sponsored by the Edward T. Rogowsky Program) as part of the Somos El Future Conference in Albany, New York. The topic for the Model Senate in 2011 was Legislative Redistricting, where Enoch represented Kevin S. Parker from District 21 in Brooklyn. As a result of his heartfelt and impassioned speech, Enoch was featured in the Albany Times Union and on the New York State Assembly website.
Enoch was one of forty Hostos Student Leaders to be selected to participate in the first ever Hostos Athletic Leaders Organization Retreat at YMCA Camp Ockanickon in New Jersey, where he challenged himself on the High and Low Ropes Courses and also ascended a 60 foot climbing wall.
Enoch was one of seven talented students from the City University of New York who were selected to serve as fellows in the Kaplan educational Leadership Program for 2011-2012. Along with another Hostos student, Mariana Rivera, Enoch has been provided with the opportunity to choose where he will go next on his educational journey and because Kaplan assists with financing an education, he and Mariana will be able to apply to and ultimately choose any private institution of higher learning, that they are accepted to, to complete their Bachelor’s Degree.
Enoch has attended a variety of community service projects both locally and throughout the City of New York. He has planted trees, fed the hungry, brought happiness to senior citizens and served as an Ambassador for the college at fundraising events. Enoch is an executive member of Phi Theta Kappa National Honors Society. He also ran for a seat in the Hostos Student Government Association for the school year 2011-2012 and lost, but is still passionate about his role as an Ambassador for the college.
Enoch is currently pursuing a degree in Liberal Arts and Science. He has a GPA of 3.6. He continues to love politics and he is constantly looking for people who will debate him on a variety of issues. Enoch is very passionate about disease prevention especially that of Malaria in developing countries. He hopes to lead an initiative that will curb the malaria menace in Africa. He plans to study public health and international relations when he transfers. He also has a desire to eliminate corruption from politics all over the world.
For more information about YMCA Camp Ockanickon, please visit:
http://www.ycamp.org/home.php
For more information about the New York State Model Senate Session Project, please visit: http://www.etrinternship.org/html/modelsen.htm
For more information about the National Model United Nations, please visit:
http://nmun.org
For more information about the Kaplan Leadership Program:
http://kaplanedfoundation.org
For more information on the Millennium Campus Conference Network, please visit: http://mcnpartners.org