Meet the Brother of the Christian Schools who travelled to Northwest Philadelphia from West Africa to grow his passion for languages and education at La Salle. 

Brother Bako Bapio Pierre, FSC, M.A. ’23, has a love for languages.  

That passion fueled his journey from the West African nation of Burkina Faso to La Salle University, where he is a student in the Master of Arts in Translation and Interpretation program. (Br. Bako has an academic focus on English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English.) 

He is attending the University on a Christian Brothers Scholarship, and he’s the first Blessed Brother Raphael Rafiringa, FSC, Graduate Fellow. The fellowship is named for the first Brother of the Christian Schools (Christian Brothers) from Africa to have attained Blessed status on the way to canonization as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. This fellowship, unique to La Salle University, is aimed at contributing to the education of Christian Brothers from the Lasallian regions in the Global South. 

Br. Bako first heard about La Salle’s graduate program in translation and interpretation during a Christian Brothers meeting in Rome, where he spoke with La Salle’s Vice President of Mission, Diversity, and Inclusion Brother Ernest J. Miller, FSC, D. Min., M.A. ’95. Br. Bako saw the opportunity to grow his passion for learning languages, especially English, which is widely spoken in Africa, and learn new skills in translation and interpretation. However, he had to quickly learn Spanish as it’s heavily used in the program and he has never studied the language. 

“I told the program director [J. Manuel Gómez, Ph.D., director of the Hispanic Institute] at that time, I was not confident about Spanish. It’s very new to me,” he explained. “The director said, ‘I know you’re passionate about languages, and I know you can do it. So just get down to work. And you will make it.’” (Gómez was right. Today, Br. Bako is fluent.) 

With support from Br. Brother Dennis Lee, FSC, the former Brother Visitor of the Lasallian District of Eastern North America, Br. Bako applied and earned acceptance to La Salle. He lives in the FSC De La Salle Community on campus.  

Br. Ernest notes that The Rule of the Brothers of the Christian Schools gives context to Br. Bako as a Rafiringa Fellow: “The Brothers consider their professional work as a ministry … helping those they serve to discover, appreciate and assimilate human and gospel values.” 

“Br. Bako’s graduate level study in the Department of Global Languages, Literatures, and Perspectives signifies his ongoing commitment to his vocation as a De La Salle Brother: to teach minds and touch hearts with gravity and gentleness,” Br. Ernest added. 

Now at La Salle for more than a year, Br. Bako has fully immersed himself in the campus community—through academic commitments with his classes and his participation with University Ministry, Service, and Support’s De La Salle Chapel Choir. In the most-recent fall season, he provided ministry of presence to the players and staff of the Explorers’ men’s soccer program, including administrative duties and pre-game and pre-practice prayers. A soccer player in his youth, he is excited to become more involved with the team this upcoming season.  

“I plan to get to know the team better, working with the coach, and trying to support the team in any way,” he said.  

After completing his graduate program at La Salle in 2023, Br. Bako hopes to utilize his education and fulfill his passion for teaching through work as a school teacher when he returns to his home country of Burkina Faso. He intends to share strategies that have strengthened his ability to learn languages and become fluent in both English and Spanish. 

“I want to use my own experience to teach others how they can learn language in a quick and efficient way without fearing the rules of grammar and vocabulary,” he said.  

However, Br. Bako is prepared for anything when he returns to Burkina Faso, he said, as it is common for the duties within a school to require assignments other than teaching.  

“But my hope is to be able to teach and help students,” he said.  

Br. Bako also has some international commitments with the Brothers and the wider Lasallian world. He has been a member of the International Council of Young Lasallians since 2016, member of the preparatory commission for the ongoing International Young Brothers’ Assembly, and he was appointed as a capitulant by the Brother Superior General for the upcoming General Chapter of the Brothers of the Christian Schools to be held in May 2022.  

“Br. Bako’s engagement with each of these three Lasallian bodies,” Br. Ernest observed, “discloses at least two realities: the rich geographic and cultural diversity of Lasallian sisterhood brotherhood, and the Lasallian practice of synodality, or journeying together.” 

The imprint La Salle University is having on Br. Bako will last a lifetime, he said, citing the connections he’s made with Christian Brothers and students that have been incredibly rewarding. Plus, the graduate education he’s receiving is something he has full intent to utilize.  

“I’m grateful to La Salle because I am the beneficiary of a full scholarship and I plan to take advantage of it and make La Salle proud,” he added.  

— Meg Ryan