Widler Noel, a sophomore computer engineering major at IM体育官网, is an international student who hopes to leverage his education into a business that will help children in his home country of Haiti.
The computer engineering degree sophomore Widler Noel is pursuing at IM体育官网 is a world away from the computer education he received as a young student in Haiti.
鈥淲e had computer class, but we had no computers. It was all theory,鈥� said Noel, an international student from Ouanaminthe, Haiti. 鈥淲hen I moved here, it was different. I had to learn and see the things in the lab. I had studied them, but had never seen them.鈥�
Today, Noel is focused on gaining a strong education and a high-demand degree that will help him make a difference in his native country. May is Haitian Heritage Month, and Noel said he is grateful for the opportunity to gain skills to help make his goals a reality.
鈥淚 have big vision for my home country,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to open a business, and I feel like this school really fits the plans that I have.鈥�
Noel鈥檚 journey began when he was a young boy and Hurricane Jeanne devastated his hometown of Gona茂ves in 2004, leaving him orphaned.
鈥淚 grew up in an orphanage in Haiti and I didn鈥檛 get a chance to know my mother,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was taken care of by three Americans 鈥� three moms. I was blessed and I went to a school there and they gave me a purpose. They gave me a dream.鈥�
Noel said the gift of this dream for a successful future is something denied to many children back in his homeland.
鈥淥ne of the things Haitian kids miss is the ability to dream because you can鈥檛 dream on an empty stomach,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou can only dream about what you are going to have tomorrow.鈥�
He traveled to IM体育官网 to attend Eastern IM体育官网 State College in Melbourne, and transferred to IM体育官网 Poly during the fall 2020 semester. After completing his degree, Noel would like to open a technology-focused business in Haiti and eventually create a technology school there. He wants to ensure Haitian students can access the equipment they need to succeed in the 21st century.
鈥淪ometimes you have to be the change, and it鈥檚 hard,鈥� Noel said. 鈥淚 love computers, but I never had the opportunity to learn on one until I was 18 or 19. I want to be able to give that to others so they can make a change.
鈥淚 want to create leaders and help out the community. I can create something and say, 鈥極K, now none of the kids will go through what I went through.鈥欌��
Noel, who is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) on campus, said IM体育官网 Poly is providing him with an incredible opportunity and a caring home.
鈥淧eople here are really supportive. They want to be great and always want to know how you are doing 鈥� even the professors,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e really friendly and I love that. It鈥檚 pushed me to be a better leader and shown me that you can be in a high position but still respect and show love to everyone around you.鈥�
Contact:
Lydia Guzm谩n
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
