Meet Our Fellows Blog Series: Idriss Bah
Hi, my name is Idriss Bah, and an interesting fact about me is that I'm originally from West Africa, Sierra Leone, which means I can speak/understand a few languages. My family and I moved to the United States in 2001, and I have lived in a few states--New York, Tennessee, and Colorado--but I consider Indiana (Bloomington and Indianapolis) my home base.
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Informatics with a cognate in Business from Indiana University Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering (SICE) and an Associates in Informatics from Ivy Tech - Indianapolis. Fun fact, I was also a Theatre minor! In fact, I've explored a number of interests through my educational pursuits. These include human sexuality/gender relations, technology, video games, fashion, and the corporate world. Moreover, the algorithms and systems that are involved in our daily and work life. Consequently, some of the skills I have developed include computer programming, software development, project management, people management, and analytical analysis of IT systems.
The combination of my upbringing, interests, skills, and academic background has led to my specific drivers. One of them focuses on the creation, enhancement, or transition of a community's technological infrastructure. For this reason, enFocus was an obvious choice for my first full-time post-undergrad career.
As an enFocus Intern turned Fellow, I hold a unique view of the enFocus experience and how it serves as a great career starter. enFocus encourages diversity of backgrounds, academic pursuits and thinking as a means to spark creative problem solving. They also partner with sponsors across many sectors, so no matter where your curiosity lies, they can work to match you to a project that captures your career interests and leverages your skills. After graduation, I felt overwhelmed about which occupation I should choose in my field. As an enFocus summer intern, I not only worked on projects that delved into a few aspects of Informatics that intrigued me, but by the end of the program, I had a much clearer idea if I would want to work, modify, or pivot elsewhere. As a Fellow, I am fortunate to continue the work from my internship to dive deeper into a particular facet of Informatics. I am not certain I would have had the flexibility or opportunity to explore as enFocus has allowed me to, if I had taken a traditional job immediately after undergrad.
enFocus is receptive to people from all walks of life, education, and interests and has supported me in exploring my many interests. In my short time here, I have gained more real-world experience than most of my college experience and some of my prior jobs. If you are seeking to hone in or explore your field, interests, and skills and have the opportunity to contribute to this region, enFocus is an ideal place to start.
Learn more about the 2020-2022 enFocus Fellows weekly in our Meet Our Fellows Blog Series.