Joshua Donaldson

Joshua Donaldson participated in the 2024 CLS Swahili Program hosted by the MS-Training Centre for Development Cooperation Arusha, Tanzania. Josh is finishing his bachelor's degree in Biological Engineering at the University of Missouri. He plans to work in water resources engineering for rural communities.

Why Swahili?

I studied Swahili because I developed a close relationship with a Swahili-speaking physician mentor. Learning bits and pieces about the culture inspired me to dig deeper into the international importance of East Africa, especially when it comes to security, environmentalism, and economic development.

A Favorite Word

My favorite word in Swahili is chagala bagala, which means "all over the place," "chaotic," or "confused."

Career Goals

I plan to work in environmental engineering, particularly focusing on the food-energy-water nexus. I hope to employ innovative technologies, like geospatial AI, to help communities develop sustainable systems and recover from various disasters. Knowing Swahili will help me work internationally and regionally to address critical infrastructure requirements across the world.

CLS’s Impact

I went into CLS as a small-town boy, a first-time traveler, and a beginning language learner. All I had was a desire to learn and this slight inkling that Swahili would make me a better physician by helping me relate to patients and care for others in a more socially conscious way. Throughout the program, I grew even more fascinated by environmental health issues, like food, water, and energy security, which completely transformed my career trajectory. Now, I am primarily focused on engineering and public policy as a means to improve public health. CLS provided the opportunity to explore the unknown and further discover my own personal and professional goals.

Final Reflections

CLS truly was a life-changing opportunity. I owe everything I am and my newfound passions to the program. I also developed some of the best friendships I have through the program. Largely because of CLS, I landed a great internship this summer in engineering and was recently named a Truman Scholar!