From Achimota to Pennsylvania: ‘Rastafarian’ Tyrone secures full scholarship

Tyrone Iras Marhguy, whose admission to Achimota Senior High School (SHS) was the subject of a landmark court case, has been awarded a full scholarship for further studies in the US.

He will pursue a first degree in Computer Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn) for free without paying a dime.

Announcing his success on X (formerly Twitter), Marhguy shared his excitement, noting that he considered offers from prestigious institutions including UPenn, Duke, Williams, and F&M, totalling $1.4 million in scholarships over the next four years.

In 2021, the Achimota School sought to prevent the young Rastafarian from enrolling because of his dreadlocks.

At the time, the school insisted he cut his hair because it didn’t meet the institution’s standards, leading to a court case.

After months of court proceedings, the court ruled that Tyrone and his colleague Rastafarian Oheneba Nkrabea should be allowed to study in their respective schools.

It was the view of the court that denying the two youngsters admission into their respective schools violated their rights to education and dignity.

Reflecting on his journey, Marhguy highlighted the challenges he faced and the broader impact of his struggle.

His fight for the right to wear his dreadlocks ignited a national and global debate on individual rights and education.

Through his media appearances, he became a vocal advocate for equality and tolerance.

Marhguy’s academic achievements are also noteworthy.

He won two awards from the American Mathematics Olympiad 2023, including the overall national top scorer and a Gold medal, competing against over 150,000 students globally.

He also secured a Silver medal in the Vanda Science International Olympiad among 38,000 participants and was inducted into the International Junior Honour Society, in 2023.

On the SAT, Marhguy scored an impressive 1500 out of 1600, placing him in the 99th percentile globally.

His scores included 730 out of 800 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, and 770 out of 800 in Math.

Below is the post sharing his latest victory.

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve been awarded a full scholarship to pursue Computer Engineering at the @Penn! Joining the class of 2028 as a proud Quaker, this incredible opportunity comes after carefully considering breathtaking offers from #UPenn, #Duke,#Williams, and #F&M,… pic.twitter.com/tWPjQAOEQI

— Tyrone Iras Marhguy (@marhguy_tyrone) August 28, 2024