By Patrick Effah (dnewshub)
Every Friday, a group of friends walks briskly to their professor's office, their laughter ringing out and overshadowing the sounds of their footsteps. This weekly tradition allows them to share stories about their week, discuss upcoming plans, and check their emails on the professor's computer.
For Ernest Frimpong, a U.S. Air Force staff sergeant and noncommissioned officer in charge of command protocol for the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, one ordinary Friday afternoon in Ghana transformed his life. The subject line of an email he received read, “You Won the Green Card Lottery.”
Frimpong quickly opened the email, discovering he had been randomly selected for the Diversity Visa Lottery. Initially, he and his friends were skeptical. “We thought it was a scam,” he recalled. “We knew about the DV Lottery but had never heard of anyone actually winning.”
He forwarded the email to his family, only to learn that his grandfather had applied on behalf of himself, his sister, and their cousin. Months earlier, Frimpong's grandfather had asked him for a passport photo, a request he complied with without thinking twice.
“When I told my family I won, we were unsure what to do,” Frimpong said. “I was the only one selected, as my grandpa had just wanted to see if the program was legitimate.” Despite submitting the required documentation, Frimpong remained skeptical until he visited the U.S. Embassy and paid the visa fee, at which point the reality of his move to America sank in.
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, established by the Immigration Act of 1990, aims to diversify the U.S. immigrant population by offering visas to countries with fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years. To qualify, applicants must be natives of a qualifying country and have at least two years of work experience in an eligible occupation.
Frimpong had attended a public boarding high school in Ghana, which accustomed him to long periods away from family. However, relocating to America felt different, knowing he would be far away from them.
In June 2009, Frimpong graduated from Kumasi Polytechnic (now Kumasi Technical University) with a diploma in electrical engineering, but he skipped the ceremony to spend time with family before his departure. Three months later, he boarded a flight to the United States.
In his first year in America, Frimpong lived with his grandfather, working at a veterans’ shelter while volunteering at a local hospital, assisting therapists with patients. After a year, he enrolled at Cañada College, balancing a demanding security job with his studies. His exposure to science at Gilead Sciences sparked a passion for biomedical engineering.
“While working there, I constantly interacted with scientists,” he explained. “That experience influenced my choice of major.” Frimpong pursued opportunities through San Francisco State University’s Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program, completing multiple internships, including one at NASA’s Computing and Information for Public and Applied Research program, where he helped design a sensor to control a robotic car.
Frimpong’s fascination with the intersection of engineering and biology deepened. He envisioned solving healthcare challenges, such as kidney regeneration using stem cells. Although he was accepted into California Polytechnic State University and the University of California, Davis for further studies, the timing was not right. His wife had just given birth to their daughter, and he wanted to be present for his family.
Ultimately, a friend suggested he consider the military. After researching various branches and their education benefits, Frimpong chose the U.S. Air Force. “I graduated from Cañada in 2015 and joined the Air Force that summer,” he recalled. “The timing was perfect, as they had recently raised the age limit for enlistment.”
While his grandfather supported his decision to join the military, he had one request: that Frimpong earn his degree. Frimpong joined as an engineering assistant, gaining experience in various roles over eight years.
Despite loving his engineering career, Frimpong sought to expand his horizons. When the position of noncommissioned officer in charge of command protocol became available, he seized the opportunity.
“I’ve gained invaluable knowledge from my experiences in America,” he stated. “From working at a shelter and hearing unique stories to understanding engineering and leadership in the military, I look forward to returning to Ghana with these insights.”
Frimpong is passionate about healthcare and engineering, envisioning a future where he can enhance the doctor-patient relationship in Ghana. “Joining the military was an easy decision for me—it’s my way of giving back to the country that has given me so much,” he said. “When I retire, I’ll feel fulfilled knowing I served with purpose.”
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