By Sandra C. Roa, University Communications and Marketing
Freeman Talla enrolled at USF with big goals. He is determined to expand the solar power sector in his native Cameroon, Africa. Inspired by the tragic death of his aunt, who died while seeking emergency medical care during a power outage, Talla plans to start a business that will offer a sustainable solution. 鈥淭here is no reliability. On average, people lose 35 hours of power per week,鈥� Talla said. 鈥淎t the same time, there is a disparity between the rich and the poor 鈥� most people can鈥檛 even pay for electricity.鈥�
Talla feels responsible for improving the future of Cameroon and his time at USF is spent refining his plan and building his resource network. Talla is based on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus and is a dual-major graduate student in the Muma College of Business and the College of Engineering. He improved his language and leadership skills while volunteering as an orientation tour guide for prospective students and families. Talla has also benifited from internships, competitions, experiential learning opportunities and student organizations. 鈥淯SF has helped tremendously getting close to that goal,鈥� Talla said.
This feature is part of USF's series of stories that celebrate the work and accomplishments of its community members throughout Black Heritage Month. A list of university events can be found here.