Alumni Weekend reunites Perkins classmates
Fond memories came rushing back when former Perkins students returned to the campus for Alumni Weekend June 13-15. As classmates reunited, they were also able to catch up with the latest Perkins news and read updates on fellow alumni in the Perkins Alumni Newsletter, which is back after a two-year hiatus. If you have alumni news to share, email alumni@Perkins.org - We look forward to hearing about what's happening in the lives of our graduates!
This year's newsletter includes inspiring spotlight stories of Perkins alumni like the feature below on Yegue Badigue, Class of 2003.
A Young Man Determined to Make a Difference
Yegue grew up in the Republic of Chad where he lived in a dirt brick home with his parents and eight siblings, four of whom are also visually impaired.
The chance of a lifetime came when the former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Chad happened to be in the audience of Yegue’s piano recital and his wife happened to be the sister of a teacher at Perkins. Seeing his potential, the couple helped make arrangements for Yegue to come to the United States.
For Yegue, the opportunity to come to America meant leaving behind all he knew and having faith he would find a brighter future for himself and for his family. He received a one-year scholarship to Perkins and after making astounding progress received funding to finish his education here, graduating in 2003.
Today Yegue is a senior at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. He is majoring in international relations with a concentration in economic development and has a music minor. He speaks six languages and plays four instruments.
This year Yegue was a guest speaker at the Perkins Possibilities Gala.
“I can’t even measure how proud of myself I am tonight!,” Yegue proclaimed at the event. “This is truly an undreamed of opportunity for me …”
Indeed, Yegue has reason to be proud – he has overcome incredible odds and continues to work tirelessly seizing every opportunity that comes his way.
“It all started with a small group of deeply caring and loving people,” Yegue told the 600 guests at the gala who listened intently as he recounted an inspiring journey. “Grace to Perkins and all other supports, I learned to smoothly adjust to the U.S. culture … learned how to use the computer.”
“I was introduced to a real folding cane (how cool of an object). I grabbed it, loved it, and today I walk around independently with it, so fast that you have to jog before catching me up!”
The bonds Yegue made at Perkins have deeply impacted his life. On March 5 of this year, the day of Yegue’s 28th birthday, the Chadian government bulldozed his family’s home with no compensation or relocation. Yegue was able to send enough money back home, raised by members of the Perkins community, so that his family could buy new land and rebuild.
This summer, Yegue will once again be at Perkins, this time as an assistant teaching technology in the classroom. Looking to his future, Yegue knows even more amazing discoveries still lie ahead.
“I was open minded, am still, and will be open-minded, to discover what are my next undreamable surprises! I hope to join the team of making a difference, being productive, and bringing economic empowerment to the left behind.”