Summer Binghamton Enrichment Program prepared Mohamed Bakhit as a student and leader

A few years ago, Binghamton University junior Mohamed Bakhit would never have imagined himself to be where he is today. Bakhit grew up in Brooklyn, the youngest of four siblings. Bakhit’s parents, who emigrated from Sudan to the United States before having children, sacrificed a lot to give their children a promising life and encouraged Mohamed and his siblings to value education from an early age.

“For my mother and father, education has always been the most important thing,” Bakhit said. “The kind of sacrifice that they made to move to America and give us the life they wanted us to have — they instilled the dream in each of us to finish college and find a good job.”

Like each of his siblings before him, Bakhit followed that path, but he didn’t expect to end up in Binghamton.

“I never really planned to be here,” he said. “I always thought that I would stay in the city at a [City University of New York] school, but it ended up being a life-changing decision for me.”

Encouraged by his sister to apply to Binghamton, Bakhit was accepted through the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), allowing him the opportunity to get acclimated to college life through the Binghamton Enrichment Program (BEP) the summer before he arrived on campus. Unfortunately for Bakhit, he and his BEP classmates were forced to complete the program online instead of the usual in-person, on-campus experience due to COVID restrictions still in place at that time.

“Even though the program was online, I still felt like it was a great experience for me,” Bakhit said. “I was able to come into college with credits; my GPA was already built up. Even though it was all completed over Zoom, the program taught us a lot about campus — where my classes would be, how to get around, where I was living — so it was like the stepping stones were in place for when I actually got to campus.”

Though Bakhit knew it was an amazing opportunity to participate in the BEP summer program, he felt like he missed out by having the experience digitally.

“I know that having that program in person and getting to spend that month living in the dorms with my peers and my counselors would have been even more amazing,” he said. “So that feeling of missing out is part of what drove me to apply to be a BEP counselor.”

As a BEP counselor, Bakhit stepped into a leadership role, which he embraced. The experience served as a springboard for Bakhit, helping him to grow his social network while also developing leadership and communication skills.

“My first year I used to walk through the Union with my head down and kept to myself,” Bakhit explained. “I feel like [the experience as a BEP counselor] had me wanting to be a leader, wanting to grow. Through EOP, I made these connections so that I can walk around campus, go to more events and have that kind of confidence.”

Now a junior, Bakhit has become much more involved on campus. In addition to his role as a BEP counselor, he is also involved with the Men of Color Scholastic Society serving on the executive board as chair of community service, as well as working as a shuttle driver for Off Campus College Transport (OCCT).

“I came to Binghamton not really knowing what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go; I just had this idea of wanting to get my degree and go back home,” Bakhit said. “EOP gave me the opportunity and the tools to take the time and find myself and figure that out. Learning how to be a leader, learning communication skills and having that diverse range of skill sets has helped me grow.”

According to Bakhit, EOP shaped his experience at Binghamton. From the EOP staff, to the BEP counselors and peers that he entered college with, to the first-year students that he mentored as a BEP counselor, Bakhit believes that his time within the program has helped to shape him into the person he is today.

“I struggled to find my place initially, but all it took was the time that I needed to grow and learn where I wanted to be and who I wanted to surround myself with,” Bakhit said. “EOP gave me that space where I could grow. It’s hard to open up to new people and ask for help, but the EOP family really makes sure that they gain your trust and let you allow them into your life so that they can give you the help you need.”