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Putting the I in Iowa

Pat Blank

Adamu Muhammad came to Iowa from Nigeria in 2008 through the U.S. Embassy Achievers Program that helps promising low income students apply to American colleges and universities.  His academic prowess in science and math got him noticed by Waverly's Wartburg  College. Muhammad graduated last August and after a few months at a soil testing lab in Ames, he found a job in Hartley. He works as a chemist at an ethanol plant with a shift that has him working seven days on and seven days off. He's decided in that spare time he'd like to see all of Iowa's 99 counties. Muhammad says ,"you know people make fun of Iowa and say there's nothing to do here, but I am finding it has a very rich history with connections all over the world."  So far, he's visited more than 50 and takes his story to classrooms throughout Northwest Iowa.

He says he feels at home here, especially at the ethanol  plant because the aroma of the processing reminds him of the process his mother used to use to make corn meal and other dishes for his supper.  Check out some of his photos here https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coldhead/159008307603874.

Pat Blank is the host of All Things Considered