The Power of a Polyglot by Sharon

The Power of a Polyglot by Sharon - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

When English is your first language, French is spoken at school, and Yoruba is the language that binds your family together, you tend to be good at all of them and great at none. Still, I embody what it means to be a polyglot.

My family is Nigerian, more specifically Yoruba. I grew up listening to the sweet hymns, proverbs, and stories that the Yoruba language had to offer. On the other hand, French was educational for me. I learned French while studying at a French Immersion school from kindergarten through eighth grade. English was my first language and was second nature to me. When I spoke, I didn’t have to think too hard about what I was saying. Instead, the words just flowed right through me. Together, these languages raised me. They molded me into the person that I am today.

Over time, the languages that raised me began to intimidate me. I would be too embarrassed to practice my Yoruba as my pronunciation and intonation would lead to saying one word when I meant another. I would second-guess my ability to speak French due to my fluency not being up to par. Even English made me feel like I was incomplete when I lacked the words to express all of these overwhelming emotions. For a long time, I wished that I could forget all of these foreign languages and find solace in one language, any language that made me feel whole.

The more I talked to friends and family who also spoke multiple languages, the more I realized how much of a superpower it is to have this ability. Being a polyglot isn't about mastering a myriad of languages, it’s about understanding and appreciating the culture and perspective behind each language. Each language allowed me to interact with different communities and perspectives. Yoruba deepened my understanding of culture and connected my heritage to who I am. French allowed me to interact and make meaningful connections with people from
francophone countries, like France, Cameroon, and Canada. English connected these languages and acted as the glue in my different relationships and communities.

By inheriting all of these languages, my brain was constantly being trained thanks to having to translate from one language to another. Switching seamlessly between Yoruba’s tonal intricacies, French’s word structures, and
English’s fluidity required me to constantly identify patterns and context shifts and translate not just words, but the intent behind them. Similarly, my future career involves translating human needs and business objectives into technical solutions. My future role in technology as the ultimate translator requires someone who can connect the languages of human culture and data science to build systems that are accessible, effective, and inclusive.

My interests in technology and business continue to grow stronger every day. As a college graduate, I hope that my degree will allow me to give back to my communities. By pursuing this degree in Information Systems, I plan to advocate for and develop infrastructures that are not only efficient but accessible to
everyone, regardless of their background. I want to use my skills to help small businesses, like my father's, and young people, like me.

The 'digital divide' is typically discussed in terms of hardware, but I think the same thing can be said for high-level systems and system management. My primary goal revolves around watching my father figure out the complexities of running a small business. Small businesses, especially black-owned small businesses, are the backbone of local economies. Still, they are left vulnerable to cyber threats and inadequate data because the solutions are designed for giant corporations. My goal is to design secure and user-friendly systems that empower local entrepreneurs to compete in the digital market.

I also plan to use my degree to advocate for and develop infrastructures surrounding digital wellness. Cyberbullying often thrives in spaces where reporting is difficult or where security is not a priority. It has severe effects on its victims, causing mental health issues and physical symptoms, and affecting one’s academia, social well-being, and overall lasting reputation. I plan to develop systems that increase the accessibility of safety features and implement high-level security protocols to protect individuals. By creating environments where users are protected from anonymous harm, I can help ensure that technology remains a tool for connection and growth rather than a source of pain.