Everybody knows Mamadou. That’s the impression I get when I ask Bowdoin students if they know Mamadou Diaw, a Bowdoin junior from New York City whose family moved to the United States from Senegal in 1989.

They not only know Mamadou, they like him and they respect his strong character, deep wisdom and real warmth. “My friends sometimes call me ‘Papadou,’” Mamadou jokes, “because they say I’m so mature.”

During his first two years, this sociology major/earth and oceanographic science minor compiled a fine academic record. As important, he honed his strong leaderships skills. Mamadou has completed leadership training for the Bowdoin Outing Club; served as a proctor and, the next year, head proctor in a residence hall; and got elected to the Student Government for which he now serves as Chair of Diversity and Inclusion.

During his second year at Bowdoin, Mamadou gave an inspiring Tedx Talk at Bowdoin, entitled “African Resilience and the Steps we Take Forward” in which he paid tribute to has father. With a large photo of his father behind him, Mamadou began his talk this way: “This is my father. If this doesn’t show you how amazing he is, I hope my talk will. Without a doubt in my mind, he is the definition of hard work, resilience and dedication. A leader in the Sengalese community in New York City and leader for our family in Senegal. A transnational identify that balances the weight of two lands, which my father holds on his shoulders. This weight of responsibility and trust is something that I have always admired about my father. As a child, I misunderstood the immensity of that weight. But through it all, my father continues to smile every day and push through for his family and friends.”

The word “amazing” applies to every member of Mamadou’s family. His father Ababacar (“Baba”) works as an informational technology analyst at a hotel. His mother Penda Ciss runs a daycare center out of their two-bedroom apartment in Spanish Harlem. His oldest sister Awa, a Bowdoin graduate, works in human resources for Microsoft in Seattle. His next oldest sister Maryama, a Dartmouth graduate, works for Amref Health Africa, an organization based in NYC that brings medical resources to African countries. His youngest sister Khoudia, age 10, has the discipline to plan out a detailed afterschool schedule, which allows sufficient time for both getting her schoolwork done and playing computer games.

Mamadou credits the members of his family for shaping him as the person he is today. “My father taught me to remain calm even in tense situations; my mother taught me to get things done; and my sisters have been good role models, encouraging me to surround myself with good people.”

Some of the thoughts Mamadou shared towards the end of his Tedx talk convey his confidence and maturity: “As human beings we have a lot of work to do in here (points to heart) and out there (points past the audience.”

Mamadou remains unclear as to his specific goals after Bowdoin. Knowing him as I do, however, I can assure you that he will be inspiring people with his calm steady leadership wherever his path leads.

(NOTE: To watch Mamadou’s entire Tedx talk at Bowdoin, go to Youtube and search for “Mamadou Diaw” and “Tedx talk.”)

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary or suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns. [email protected].