Originally from Senegal, West Africa, Central State University, Ohio Honors College student Ibrahima Jarjou is now in his junior year at the college that he sees as a safe, welcoming home away from home. Jarjou has impressively excelled in all manner of campus life, be it athletics, academics, school spirit, community activism, entrepreneurship, and mentorship.

 After spending the early, formative years of his life in Senegal, the teenage Jarjou became something of a globetrotting citizen of the world, spending time with his grandparents in Paris and traveling to various other locales around Europe and the African continent to play basketball and to expand his ambitious academic pursuits.

 “Basketball wasn’t really my sport at first,” Jarjou laughed during a recent interview. “Back home, until I was 12 or 13, I was more into wrestling, soccer, and also did judo for a few years because of my grandpa. I didn’t really go far with it, but my grandpa is a seven-time champion of Africa who had been to the Olympics a couple of times.”  

 It was around 2013 that Jarjou was first introduced to basketball in a serious way by a teacher back in his home country. 

 “I was just this athletic kid who could run, make a difference in the game, dunk the ball,” Jarjou said. “It was fun. I really fell in love with the game. And I began to travel, going from city (to) city, meeting new people. That was one of the reasons I really loved the sport.”

Jarjou’s natural talent and passion for basketball led him to being recruited to high schools and prep schools in the United States with the dream of playing in the NBA. After a series of injuries, Jarjou reckoned with the fact that he needed to split his time between his dedication to the sport along with more grounded vocational possibilities.

When it was time to go to college — although playing basketball was still a primary element of his life — Jarjou decided on majors that could lead him on a path of helping other athletes with their own mental and physical health needs.  

“I’m not saying I want to have a ‘Plan B,’ but I do like school,” Jarjou said about why he decided to focus on preparing himself for a possible medical career in addition to continuing to work toward his goal of playing for the NBA. “I like that school gives me knowledge that I didn’t already know.”

When Jarjou arrived in his new, adoptive nation six years ago, it was school that helped him better his English, he said. 

“Just going to school and making friends really helped me to improve my English a lot,” Jarjou added.      

 “(Jarjou) has demonstrated exceptional leadership, resilience, and dedication,” said Paul A. Schlag, Ph.D., executive director of Honors College and International Affairs at Central State University.

“His accomplishments reflect his ability to defy odds and overcome obstacles while making a positive impact on CSU, his communities, and the world.” 

 A double major in Psychology and Exercise Science, Jarjou “has shown a strong commitment to his academic pursuits,” Schlag continued. “His impressive GPA of 3.9, along with his recognition as the top junior scholar, highlights his exceptional scholarly achievements.”

Fluent in five languages, Jarjou is additionally a Central State Honors College Emissary, president of Psi Chi — the International Honor Society in Psychology — and a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, the largest global collegiate honors society for undergraduate and graduate students. 

He is the recipient of such accolades as the 2023 Student-Athlete President’s Award, the Academic Achievement Award from Residence Life, the Ujima Leadership Award, the Residence Life Supporter Award, and the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHAS) Honor Spotlight Award. Jarjou has also been named to the dean’s list for all three of his semesters at CSU. Most recently, Jarjou was accepted to the AHA (American Heart Association) Scholars Program for HBCUs. 

In conjunction with his role as what Schlag observes as “a valuable member of the CSU Men’s Basketball team,” Jarjou is also the vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. It is in this role that Jarjou “showcases his commitment to fostering a positive environment for student-athletes,” Schlag continued. “Through this position, he actively contributes to the betterment of his fellow student-athletes.”

Jarjou is also a resident advisor and an OASIS tutor who frequently uses what scant spare time he has to travel to areas populated by unhoused members of the community for whom he assists however he can in guiding them toward a better, more sustainable life.

Despite what may at the outset appear to be more than a full schedule, Jarjou’s ambitions transcend his Marauder responsibilities and duties through engagement in his own nonprofit organization, Casamance Made.

“Demonstrat(ing) his passion for giving back to his community,” as Schlag put it, Jarjou’s Casamance Made leverages organized basketball camps and donation campaigns to raise funds and resources that will help provide shoes and meals for those in need back in his native Bignona, Casamance.      

“In summary,” Schlag concluded, “Ibrahima’s exceptional achievements academically, athletically, and philanthropically, along with his dedication to community engagement, highlight his outstanding leadership abilities. His diverse talents, linguistic versatility, and commitment to making a positive impact exemplify the qualities that align with the President’s request for students with notable innovative accomplishments.” 

“I always get things done,” Jarjou said.

“One thing I always say is that I’m on a mission. What inspired me the most and what I want other students to know is that they can also get involved, can make an impact. They can just be themselves and also get things done, stay motivated.” 

Support the New Americans magazine to continue to serve our community with precise news that affect the new American, immigrant and refugee community. https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=8LHFS78NRNJJY&source=url