Saineesh Ellapah, class of 2028, chose Temple University’s Fox School of Business to fulfill his lifelong dream of pursuing education within the United States. (Photo by Ahmed Alghamdi)
Nearly 9,400 miles from Temple University’s Main Campus lies a small country in East Africa, 500 miles off the eastern coast of Madagascar, called Mauritius.
Mauritius is an island nation, first believed to have been discovered by Arab sailors in the year 975. Covering only 790 square miles, its rainforest and volcanic rock interior is surrounded by the clear-blue waters of the Indian Ocean.
This is where Saineesh Ellapah calls home.
In Mauritius, officially named the Republic of Mauritius, is a local population of over one million people. This past August, Ellapah, class of 2028, was the only one of them to travel halfway across the globe from the country to begin the fall semester at the Fox School of Business.
Ignited by his dreams, driven by his family and motivated by his beginnings, Ellapah joins the Temple community on the path to fulfilling a life-long goal: to pursue higher education in America.
“Studying in this country has always been a dream of mine,” Ellapah says. “There were always so many factors though that made it seem like an impossibility as I got older—the cost, the literal distance from home. I owe so much to my parents and family for their encouragement and support—they are the main reason that this was even possible.
“Now that I am here, I am so determined to find success—to me, it’s as if I am on a mission.”
Ellapah’s path to Temple began at age 17, when, with the help of his father, Chitananda, he began the application process for higher education opportunities. All the institutions he began applying to were located far away from his all-boys high school in Mauritius, Royal College Curepipe.
While most of his friends and classmates pursued the United Kingdom or Canada for their next educational step, his family encouraged him to see what his options were in the United States.
“My father was fortunate enough to attend an elite institution (Leeds University in the UK), and he wanted the same for me,” Ellapah says. “I entered the application stages with no prior knowledge of the education system here—I was lucky to have a family member’s son who is also attending college in America help us navigate the process.”
He and his family were drawn to what Temple could offer his future.
“My parents really wanted me to attend an institution that would allow me to gain a different and global perspective,” he says. “Once we learned about Temple and the Fox School and the opportunities they could offer me, especially with the help of their financial scholarships, I wanted to be here very badly.”
Now in North Philadelphia, the 19-year-old Honors Program student begins his chapter at Fox. His decision to pursue a degree in finance is shaped by the financial careers of his father and mother, Salinee. In conjunction with his studies, he’s already joined the Temple Finance Association Student Professional Organization.
Dedicated to the finance path, his aspirations, though, remain widespread, as any incoming freshman should.
“Finance is a great starting point for me, but I could also see myself becoming an entrepreneur one day,” Ellapah says. “I don’t want to put a limit on myself or what I could accomplish—just being here is a privilege and helps me understand that the sky is the limit.”
While filled with gratitude and motivation, like any first-year student, he experiences the college acclimation process. Ellapah, though, has to navigate halfway across the world from his home base.
“I have such a strong support network of family and friends behind me, but of course it’s not easy—anyone who decides to take a step like this has to have a strong mind and be determined,” Ellapah says.
“As much as the emotions of missing home do rise, and it can be difficult to sustain, I stay strong for my parents, my little brother (Saikreesh, age 15) and my entire community in Mauritius.”
Despite the distance from home, his parents’ pride is felt from continents away.
“We are immensely proud of Saineesh for all his accomplishments and now his educational pursuits in America,” his parents, Chitananda and Salinee Ellapah, say in an email. “All the credit goes to him for his sustained hard work, dedication and discipline that has allowed him to make this dream a reality.
“Our family and community obviously miss him a lot, but we have come to learn that the Temple community is a great environment for him to be in and will help him grow throughout this chapter of his life.”
Although new to the Temple community around him, Ellapah knows he’s here for a reason.
“Being here is such a fortune—like a dream in my head,” he says. “I did not think something like this would happen for me.”
“I hope that my story can inspire someone, somewhere who might be considering or dreaming about being here, too. I am proud to be a representative of international students and showcase what is possible for anyone who comes to Temple.”