Michael Okeke

Nnamdi Azikwe University

University of Kentucky, PhD Chemistry

Michael Okeke is a 2019 Opportunity Funds Program scholar. He is a First Class graduate of Pure and Industrial Chemistry from Nnamdi Azikwe University where he was the best graduating student in the department in 2016. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Kentucky.

Michael was born and brought up in Kaduna. He lost both parents at a tender age. His guardian supported him throughtout his university study. He encountered several challenegs but those did not deter him from graduating with a 4.6/5.0 CGPA and being the best graduating student in his department.

Michael Olubode

University of Ibadan

University of Oklahoma, MSc Petroleum Engineering

Michael Olubode is a 2019 Opportunity Funds scholar. Through the program, Michael secured an assistantship worth over $35,00 to pursue his Masters in Petroleum Engineering. Michael is a First-class graduate of University of Ibadan. His dad is decease and his mum, a fish trader had to cater for the family from her fish business. Michael education was funded by the Abayomi Oluwatosin Jiboku and Grace Leadership Foundations, despite the many uncertainties, Michael graduated at the top of his class and received the Dean’s Honour award. Currently, Michael is pursuing a double masters in Petroleum Engineering and Data science and Analytics.

Mubarak Idoko

Baptist High School Jos

Dartmouth College

Mubarak Idoko is  a 2019 Opportunity Funds Scholar. Through the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds program, Mubarak secured the prestigious Kings Scholarship worth over $86,000 (33 Million Naira)/year at Dartmouth.

Mubarak is a proud alumnus of Baptist High School, Jos where he maintained an impeccable academic record and served as the Study Prefect. He represented his school in the PTDF Quiz, the Cowbellpedia Mathematics, and SPAK Science Competitions. He was also a recipient of the 744 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award and led a team that topped the state with a renewable energy science project. Mubarak was selected to attend Yale Young African Scholars and YYGS summer programs and graduated with the best WASSCE result in his school.

Beyond these, Mubarak played leisure-time basketball, was a member of the JETS, Literary and Debate, and Junior Achievement Clubs in his school. He played an active role in performing arts, being a member of the drama club, and also featured as a rapper on the High School Gospel Melody group. He pioneered a tutoring organization in his school that was highly effective in helping students with academic difficulties. He is also a budding entrepreneur who runs his own handmade card business and co-founded HackNG, a network of Nigerian youngsters passionate about national development.

Nnamdi Modestus Ofodum

Anambra State University

Clarkson University- PhD Chemistry

Life is full of opportunities! One of such opportunities is to secure admission into American Universities for a doctorate degree with a bachelor’s degree from a Nigerian university. To achieve this, one needs the proper guidance and firsthand information on the nitty-gritty of the entire application process. I was a novice and was lost with the cascades of information online. When I thought all hope was lost, EducationUSA came through for me.

I am a First Class graduate of Pure and Industrial Chemistry from Anambra State University. During my undergraduate study, I had this dream of furthering my studies in the United States. I knew nothing about the application process and was incapable of financing my education in the United States. Nevertheless, I never stopped dreaming.

The life-changing moment came for me when a Professor in my department (Prof. Sylvia Okonkwo) told about EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program and encouraged me to apply. I did and was fortunate to be selected into the program. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, I took my first step towards graduate study in the United States with EducationUSA and impossibility became possible. As a member of this awesome program, it offered me a limitless opportunity, gave me insights, prepared and helped me make informed decisions. In addition, the up-front costs of the whole application process were taken care of by EducationUSA. Unbelievable!

Applying to US Schools has broadened my horizon and forever changed my perception of possibilities. It was a rigorous and enervating exercise; from preparing and writing standardized tests, Statement of Purpose, obtaining Letters of Recommendation, Submitting my application and waiting for decisions. The ever-supportive and vibrant team of EducationUSA Advisers consisting of Auntie Shade, Ms. Malate and Ms. Kathryn made it easier for me. I was truly amazed at their willingness to assist me with all the resources and materials that I needed to put in strong applications. I was also opportune to meet smart and amazing graduates who were eager to exchange ideas and help each other succeed. Truly, EducationUSA is a wonderful Family!

Finally, the decisions of the Admission Committees of the different schools I apply to came through and I was admitted into five schools each with full-funding and Teaching Assistantships. Among the

schools, I chose Clarkson University Potsdam, New York where I will be studying for a doctorate degree in Chemistry. Hard work pays!

My little time with EducationUSA has taught me that impossibility is nothing. I lack the words to express my heartfelt gratitude to the advisers for their untiring effort, support and encouragement, you guys are the best. Many thanks to Kenneth who made this journey fun and sweet for me. Special thanks to Prof. Sylvia Okonkwo for her moral support. May God bless you all.

Obidi Onyeka graduated with First Class Honors from Federal University Otuoke, where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry. As a student, he worked as an Undergraduate Researcher with the Environmental Remediation Research Group. He participated in research aimed at determining the possible toxic effects of consuming crops grown on bioremediated soil samples. He also interned with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC Food and Drug as a Safety Intern. Upon graduation, he did his National Youth Service as a Research Assistant with the Enugu State College of Education (Technical). In 2016, he was selected to join the EducationUSA Lagos Opportunity Funds Program. With the guidance and resources provided by the program, he got admitted with full funding into the University of Utah to obtain his Ph.D. He plans to continue research in toxicology, cancer, and biomedical research!

Olajide Bamidele is a first-class graduate of Chemical Engineering and top of his class in 2016 at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. He was a recipient of the MTN Foundation, Egbe Omo Oduduwa, Stephen Oluwole Awokoya Foundation for Science and Education scholarships to mention a few, during his undergraduate study. Olajide is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of South Carolina, Columbia on a scholarship worth about $35,000 annually. He is also a Presidential Fellow at his school. Just like many people, he erroneously believed good grades were just enough to secure mouth-watering, fully funded admissions but this never worked until he became a member of EducationUSA. The exposure to first-hand information and guidance of his Advisors at EducationUSA Lagos yielded three amazing fully funded scholarship offers from universities in the United States, out of which he chose one. His experience at EducationUSA made him know that opportunities abound if we position ourselves to harness them.

Paschaline Ogbu

Ebonyi State University

University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Ph.D. in Biochemistry

Paschaline Chinemerem Ogbu is a 2019 Opportunity Funds Scholar. Through EducationUSA, Paschaline is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on a fully funded assistantship worth $24,000(9.6 Million Naira) per annum.

Paschaline is a First Class graduate of Ebonyi State University. She was selected to represent Nigeria in the World School Debate Championship in Dundee, Scotland, when she was a student at Holy Rosary College Okposi. Despite not being in Abuja, Paschaline successfully went through the program from Kaduna and secured offers for her graduate studies in the United States.

Patience Paul

University of Ilorin

Florida International University, PhD Biomedical Sciences

Patience Ngozi Paul is a 2019 Opportunity Funds Scholar. Patience is a First-Generation student who grew up in Kaduna and graduated from the University of Ilorin with a Bachelors in Microbiology. Patience is now pursuing her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at Florida International University on a fully-funded assistantship worth ~$50,000 (18 Million Naira) per year. Through the support of the Opportunity Funds Program, Patience received several offers. Her research focus is antimicrobial resistance, along with gynecologic and breast cancer research.

Patrick Bokolo

Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun

University of Missouri, Columbia-PhD Chemistry

Patrick Bokolo is a 2019 Opportunity Funds scholar. Patrick is not only the first in his family to graduate university, but he is also now pursuing his Ph.D. in the United States fully funded on an assistantship worth almost $40,000 per annum. Patrick is a First Class graduate of Chemistry from the Federal University Of Petroleum Resources Effurun-FUPRE.. In 2017, he was the first recorded first-class graduate in the Department of Chemistry since the establishment of the university in 2007. As a recent graduate, Patrick already had several international publications. Through the program, Patrick received 3 offers and decided on a Ph.D. program at the University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou).

Precious Ukaegbu

Baptist High School Jos

Minerva Schools at KGI

Meet Precious Ukaegbu, a 2019 Opportunity Funds Scholar. Precious spent all her life in Jos until she came to Abuja in 2018 to participate in the Opportunity Funds Program. She received a scholarship worth over $31,000 (11 Million Naira) to pursue her Bachelors at Minerva Schools. She attended Baptist High School Jos and graduated as the overall best graduating student with all distinctions in WAEC. She had represented her school in numerous competitions and had worked part time at an NGO.

Reward graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he obtained a B.Sc. Degree in Microbiology with First class honors and held several leadership positions. Eleazar has published scientific articles as both a first author and co-author in national and international journals and also presented in multiple conferences. In 2019, through the guidance and support of the Lagos EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program, Eleazar secured multiple fully funded offers to pursue a PhD in the U.S. He accepted the offer to do his doctoral program at Wayne State University and his research is focused on the molecular virology of the herpes simplex virus. In his own words: “The OFP program breathed life into my dreams and I will remain forever grateful.”

Sebastine Ogbuka

University of Jos

University of Minnesota Duluth, MSc Physics

Sebastine is a 2019 Opportunity Funds scholar. Through the Opportunity Funds program, Sebastine received an assistantship worth over $16,000 to pursue his Masters in Physics at University of Minnesota. Sebastine worked as a volunteer research assistant at University of Jos

Segun Victor Obisesan

Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko

Auburn University, PhD Chemistry

"I never dreamt I could study outside the shores of Nigeria, but EducationUSA made me believe that you can be anything you want to be. All you need is to dream more, do more, pray more, and believe more because anything is possible."

Segun Victor is a 2019 Opportunity Funds Scholar. Through the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds program, Segun is currently pursuing his Ph.D. fully-funded at Auburn University with an assistantship worth over $66,000 (24 Million Naira)/ year. Segun is a First Class graduate of Chemistry from Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba - AAUA, where he graduated top of his class. Segun received multiple fully funded Ph.D. offers from top universities in the U.S. But decided to enroll at Auburn University because of its great program. Segun's research focus is photocatalysis and its application to solve environmental contamination.

Sochima-Amaka Ezema grew up in Enugu and attended the University of Nigeria Secondary School, Nsukka where she served as the school’s Head Girl. She graduated as the Salutatorian of the graduating Class of 2017 and was also awarded the Most Prospective Female Engineering Student. She represented her school in competitions such as those organized by the Mathematics Association of Nigeria and National Mathematical Center and she won several awards. Sochima applied to 21 U.S. institutions and was admitted to only one with full funding: Stanford University. She received over $80,000 in funding. She is currently a sophomore at Stanford pursuing a major in Computer Science. She is also the Secretary to the Stanford Undergraduate Senate and Co-President of Stanford Nigerian Students Association. She has worked on two research projects, one of which is to build and implement vine robots to explore the habitat of endangered California Tiger Salamander species. In addition to pursuing her academic and political goals, Sochima is very passionate about fashion. She works for Stanford Center for Professional Development as a Studio Operator for video production and also interns as a Fashion Stylist at MINT magazine where she has styled two photoshoots.

Tochukwu Nwoko

Federal University of Technology Akure

Miami University-Ohio, PhD Chemistry

Tochukwu Praise Nwoko is a 2019 Opportunity Funds Scholar and first-year PhD student at Miami University in Ohio. Through the program, Tochukwu secured a fully-funded offer from Miami University with an assistantship worth over $49000 (18 Million Naira)/year. Tochukwu is a First-Class Graduate of Chemistry from the Federal University of Technology Akure. Tochukwu is a published author in The Journal of Environment Protection and Sustainable development.