Matheos Mesfin, Founder and Executive Director of the Institute for East African Councils, on IEA Councils' mantra for their work~ "I always say that the mantra for our work is that there's no growth in comfort, and so the more concentration you have with the same kind of people, the more your comfort zone will cement. So we interject and we take them out of that comfort zone and say, "Go to school in rural Massachusetts." Matheos Mesfin - Founder and Executive Director of IEA Councils with host Andy Ockershausen in-studio interview Andy Ockershausen: This is Andy Ockershausen, and this is Our Town with a very special conversation with a young man that I happened to... I mean literally this was an accident. I was at an affair in the city and Our Town about Washingtonian of the Year and Donald Graham, who has been a friend for 50 years, says to me, "There's a young man here that's being recognized today I want you to meet. He is going to make a huge impact on parts of Our Town." When Donald asks, we all react. I don't care what we do because he's such a big part of Our Town and a great guy and a wonderful man. I said, Donald, okay, what do you got?" He said, "This young man is from East Africa. He's a resident of the United States now, and he's got a program that we're rewarding here today at the Washingtonian." Matheos Mesfin is a young man who's well dressed. He looks like a million dollars. He's getting an award that day. I said, "Donald, when you ask, I can't refuse," and he introduced us. I was so overwhelmed by your presence because you make a great impact, a great presentation as a wonderful guy. Without even knowing you, I thought we had some good vibes, and with Donald involved I couldn't avoid it. So Matheos, welcome to Our Town. You're making an impact, and we love it. Matheos Mesfin: It's such a pleasure to be here. Thank you for taking your time inviting me, and I hope that we'll make this presentation worth it. Thank you so much. From Ethiopia to Our Town to Grinnell College in Iowa and back to Our Town Andy Ockershausen: You're from Ethiopia. Matheos Mesfin: Yes. Andy Ockershausen: You were born in Ethiopia. How long have you been in Our Town? Matheos Mesfin: I immigrated here in 2007, end of 2007. Andy Ockershausen: That's no time at all. It's 12 years. Matheos Mesfin: That's no time at all, absolutely, and so 12 years. Spent three years at a DC public school before I settled in Iowa for undergrad. Andy Ockershausen: The Grinnell College. Matheos Mesfin: The Grinnell College. Andy Ockershausen: That's a very famous school. Matheos Mesfin: Famous for its hipsters and its very liberal views. I settled there four years, came back, and I got my first job in DC in higher ed, and the rest is history. So I've been here ever since. Andy Ockershausen: You're the director at IEA Councils. Matheos Mesfin: Yes, yes. I- Andy Ockershausen: Did you create the position? On Founding the Institute for East African Councils on Higher Education Matheos Mesfin: I did. I did. I established the Institute for East African Councils on Higher Education. It is a mouthful, so the abbreviation's what we commonly refer to as IEA Councils. It really stemmed from the idea that this area as hub for a lot of East Africans. It has hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians, a very robust Eritrean, Somali, Sudanese students and just diaspora all together. So we have seen that these students have created these cultural enclaves and they're not really reaching their full potential because they're limited to what their communities say or how their communities define college and school all together. With that in mind, I saw my transition to Grinnell as a very unique opportunity, and with that came the obligation to make sure that these wonderful students also reach their potentials by matriculating to top notch schools. Andy Ockershausen: That is a wonderful, wonderful... I hope it's going to work through fairly well,
Matheos Mesfin is the Founder and Executive Director of the Institute for East African Councils of Higher Education. The IEA Councils specializes in college access for immigrant (and first-generation immigrant) students of East African heritage. They are strong advocates of higher educational access and persistence. Matheos tells host Andy Ockershausen that their mantra is “there’s no growth in comfort.” Take a listen to see how it applies. Following is a summary of what you’ll hear:
• From Ethiopia to Our Town to Grinnell College in Iowa and back to Our Town
• On Founding the Institute for East African Councils on Higher Education
• There’s No Growth in Comfort
• On IEA Councils’ Students Coming Back to Our Town After College to Make an Impact
• Speaking Their Language Can Make All the Difference in a Young Person’s Life
• Our Town has the Largest Ethiopian Population Outside Ethiopia
• Collective Effort to Make Sure Your Neighbor is as Accomplished As You Are
• IEA Councils’ Students at Ivy League Schools
• Appreciating the Basic Necessities of Life
• On IEA Councils’ Students Becoming Doctors and Nurses – They Can Change Their Minds
• On IEA Councils’ Students and Their Families
• The Institute of East African Councils Higher Education Program | How to Navigate the College Admissions Process
• Blain – One Intern’s Experience
• On Objectively Assessing a College or University and Acclimating to a New Environment (Potential for Culture Shock)
• How to Support IEA Councils and its Students
The entire transcript for this podcast episode can be found on our website here:
https://ourtowndc.com/matheos-mesfin-iea-councils/
A special thanks to Our Town sponsors Attorney Mike Collins, The Eric Stewart Group, Tony & Joe's Seafood Restaurant and Nicks Riverside Grill.