Nine years after arriving in the U.S. from Kenya, twin brothers Hasani and Huseni Musa are turning their college dreams into a mission to serve their new home country. This fall, they will be enrolled in Onondaga Community College's Human Services degree program. "We love the community and we want to help people in need," said Hasani Musa. "Our parents told us, if you go to school, you're not just helping us, you're helping the people around you," added Huseni Musa.
The Musas are getting a head start on the college experience, participating in the Educational Opportunity Program's Pre-freshman Institute. From July 7 to August 13, they're taking classes, earning college credits, and living on the OCC campus. "Our older brother did the EOP Summer program here, and he really loved it. He said we should do EOP so we can go somewhere in life. He said moving away from the house and getting to know new people and experience new places would be great for us," said Hasani Musa.
The 78 students in the EOP Summer program take classes in the morning, study in the afternoon, and receive assistance, such as tutoring, as needed. They also take trips to important places in the region, like Harriet Tubman's home in Auburn. "Being a part of this is really moving us forward in life," said Huseni Musa.
Nine years after immigrating to the United States, the EOP Summer program is helping position the Musa brothers for success in higher education. Earlier this year, they graduated from PSLA at Fowler, and now they're working toward their Human Services degrees. "When the semester starts, we will know where our classes are and who we need to talk to if we need help," said Hasani Musa. "Our parents are very proud, and we are proud of ourselves. At first, we didn't know if we could do it, but they pushed us to get some knowledge and move on with life," said Huseni Musa.
