Nteta Philip

Quote: "Dreams may waver under life and challenges, but resilience, adaptability, and relentless pursuit can transform setbacks into stepping stones toward greater achievements" – Nteta Philip.

I dreamed of becoming a pilot, engineer, or physician throughout my childhood. These
aspirations stayed with me as I grew, fueling my determination to achieve them. After graduating from high school, I enrolled at the University of Yaoundé 1, earning an undergraduate degree in Physics Education and another in Physics. In Cameroon, medical and engineering training, then, was expensive for families like mine, and there have never been opportunities for training in aviation. Besides, limited spots were available in the existing programs, and admission often involved corruption. Given these circumstances, I became a teacher by fate and continued my career in this field because it offered
opportunities to inspire learners and to pursue my dreams and aspirations. My passion for leadership, which began in high school, continued to grow while I taught and promoted various initiatives through school clubs and organizations, including the Local Youth Corner.
Inspired by my engagement in STEM clubs and a desire to keep progressing, I enrolled in an MSc
in Environmental Engineering jointly offered by the National Advanced School of Public Works in
Yaoundé, Cameroon, and the University of Padova, Italy. While progressing through the program and teaching simultaneously, I participated in the Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) program at Appalachian State University, USA, in 2015. This opportunity enabled me to establish new connections with university faculty members and educators from various countries. As a result, I participated in the International High School Teacher program at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2018. The programs helped me integrate into international networks and opened doors to various collaboration, exchange, and funding opportunities.

 

Inspired by my experience in the TEA program, I initiated the creation of the
Cameroon Fulbright TEA Alumni Association in 2017, and I was elected as its pioneer president.
During my tenure, I established the foundation for the association to achieve non-profit status.
This designation allowed us to manage various projects sponsored by the U.S. government and to form partnerships with organizations like Open Dreams, where I have been volunteering as a lead mentor since then. Inspired by insights from these projects and my involvement with the organization, I applied for and was awarded the Fulbright scholarship to pursue an MSc in Environmental and Resource Management at
Arizona State University, U.S.A.

 

My participation in the Fulbright program has equipped me with the competencies needed to tackle both current and future challenges identified through our projects. This experience has motivated me to continue guiding graduates in their pursuit of opportunities at top-tier, world-class universities through Open Dreams.