Wilfrid Ky
Graduate Speaker at February 2008 Commencement

As a young boy in Africa, Wilfrid Ky always dreamed of getting a degree in computer science. Originally from Burkina Faso, West Africa, Wil came to America in 1999 on a student visa, speaking only French. "I soon would find out the true meaning of learning to survive in America," said Wil. "Not only had I been just recently been exposed to a whole new language and culture but now I had to contend with learning a whole new career and a future way of life for me in computer science."

He spent long nights learning English with help from his wife. Wil graduated with his associate's degree in computer science in 2003. "I finally felt a bit of relief knowing that my dream was possible," said Wil. "I knew that the sky was the limit and that doors would start opening for me."

At that time Wil was working full time as a network engineer, but was determined to further his education. He enrolled at WGU to work on his bachelor's in information technology concentrating in networks design and management. Working full-time, Wil needed something that was flexible and affordable. He completed everything he needed in just under a year.

Wil currently lives in Seattle with his wife, Belinda. He works at Microscan as a network administrator and is in charge of maintaining close to 40 servers. Headquarters and employees worldwide rely on these servers to perform their day-to-day job duties.