Olayinka Vaughan is a driven and accomplished student who has excelled both academically and in extracurriculars. He graduated as Valedictorian with 9A1s in his WASSCE and a UTME score of 339 from Princeton College, Lagos, where he was also elected as Head Boy in his senior year due to his amiable personality. During his time at the school, he was the President of the JETS Club.

In addition to his academic achievements, Olayinka is passionate about coding and teaching. During the pandemic, he founded WebTeens, a coding group that taught HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to his friends. He also tutored public school students in organic chemistry and taught a class of 20 children how to code using MIT App Inventor during his school's summer camp.

Olayinka's commitment to community service is evident through his extensive volunteer work with his local Royal Ambassadors of Nigeria chapter. He participated in mission projects such as community clean-ups, visiting the elderly, and acting as a parking guide for schools and churches.

Olayinka's academic achievements and community involvement have earned him a fully-funded scholarship as an inaugural Wesleyan African Scholar.  As an EducationUSA OFP Scholar, he will be joining Wesleyan University this fall to study Computer Science, where he hopes to continue making a positive impact through technology and education.

"Olohi, can't you do this?"  this expression was the question she asked her self being admitted to a  Gifted Secondary School where majority of the stem were all male students. So, from the moment she entered the school she set out to answer to this question. She began to addressed her academic work with a rigorous yet persistent scrupulosity. She took on demanding leadership roles, enrolled in challenging courses in which she happened to be the only female student in a few of them, and participated in various competitions.

This paid off as she got some prestigious awards which includes Best student in Mathematics and the Sciences (2019/2020), 2nd most excellent Woman in STEM in Abuja, Nigeria(2021); Overall best Student in Nigerian Geography Olympiad (state and regional levels) and 3rd position in the Nationals(2019/2020); 1st position in Hajjj Camp Science Quiz Competition(2021); 2nd position in ICPC SEB Quiz(2021); 2nd best student in the Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Awards(YONSPA) in Abuja, Nigeria(2021), amongst others.To top it all off, I was named the best graduating student overall for the 2021 academic session and emerged as valedictorian, making me one of the very few women to do so in School for the Gifted's 29-year history.

In addition to my academic accomplishments, I cofounded and served as president of the Kwali Juvenile Education Program, was the founding president of the environmental club organization at School for the Gifted, and was the secretary of the school's ICPC club. I'll always be appreciative to God for inspiring me to reach these heights. With His help, I can now confidently shout out to myself and other women in STEM: "Oh yess, we can do this!

After applying to the opportunity funds program, she got selected worked with her advisers. She applied to nine universities in the United States with the help of God and her  advisors, she secured two full-ride scholarships to two amazing schools, and after much deliberation, she decided to commit to Smith College where she will be double majoring in Engineering and Computer Science under an annual scholarship worth $90 000.

Oluwadamilola Olanrewaju stands as a beacon of excellence and achievement. Graduating with top honors from the Department of Microbiology at the University of Lagos in 2021, she earned a First-Class B.Sc. degree, making her mark as the Best Graduating Student in the Department of Microbiology with an outstanding CGPA of 4.96/5.0. Her remarkable performance earned her all the departmental awards and placed her in the top 2% of students across the entire University.

Following her graduation, Oluwadamilola's journey took a transformative turn when she heard about EducationUSA, thanks to the recommendation of a previous Opportunity Funds Program (OFP) Scholar. Embracing this opportunity, she applied and was selected as an OFP Scholar in 2022. This pivotal moment opened doors to further her education and career. She attended the 2022 summer graduate boot camp, where she had the opportunity to connect with other scholars and was armed with accurate and comprehensive information on how to navigate the application process for graduate school.

Oluwadamilola is immensely grateful to EducationUSA for the unwavering support, guidance, access to resources, and mentorship that they provided. With the invaluable support and guidance from EducationUSA, her advisors, and mentors, she successfully secured a fully funded Ph.D. offer at the School of Molecular Biosciences at Washington State University.  

She is currently a doctoral student in Molecular Bioscience at WSU, where she is pursuing her passion for life sciences and receiving training to address some of the most challenging questions in the field.

Oluwaseun is a focused, determined, and enthusiastic researcher with a strong passion for understanding Host-parasite compatibility and Evolutionary Biology of Parasites. She bagged a first-class honor in Zoology at Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria. 

Her undergraduate experience channeled to the detection of these parasites that cause preventive diseases through microscopy and with the use of other laboratory techniques further increased her passion for research.  Her exceptional academic performance made her qualify for various research projects with grants as she explored the Giwa and Ojuromi Lab with research focused on host-parasite relationships. She recently concluded a funded research on "Investigation of the effectiveness of Antenatal care (ANC) programs and factors associated with poor participation among pregnant women in Alimosho area Lagos State” and currently working on “Evaluation of Heavy Metals and Parasite in Fishes as Indicator of Pollution in Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria” with a TETFund grant. These prove her outstanding skills, she also took the time to guide and support undergraduate students interested in these topics. 

The greatest thing that happened to her career was when she got accepted into the EducationUSA OFP 2023/2024 cohort and her attendance and participation in the Graduate School Bootcamp in the U.S. Lagos consulate made her achieve this milestone.  The experience and guidance she received from EducationUSA helped her bag a fully funded scholarship for her Master’s program in the United States of America. After a few months of mentorship from the Education USA Advisers, she finally got a YES and will be attending Oregon State University in fall 2024 for her Master’s degree in Integrative Biology on a fully funded offer covering a tuition waiver, health insurance, and living expenses. Many thanks to EducationUSA for the mentorship!

Oluwatofunmi Adeboye obtained his Bachelor's degree from Mountain Top University, Ogun State, Nigeria, graduating with First-Class honors. He was the best-graduating student in the Department of Geosciences at Mountain Top University, with a CGPA of 4.85 out of 5.00 in the 2021/2022 academic session. During his undergraduate days, he served as the Academic Secretary and the President of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) Mountain Top University Student Chapter and the Mountain Top University Geoscience Students Society (MTUGSS). He was part of the team of students that represented the university in the Imperial Barrel Award 2021 and the SEG Challenge Bowl competition. Oluwatofunmi was a beneficiary of the Daniel Kolawole Olukoya (DKO) Scholarship Foundation throughout his undergraduate studies and received the AAPG Foundation's L. Austin Weeks Undergraduate Grant in his senior year. 

In 2023, Oluwatofunmi Adeboye secured a coveted spot in the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program, being selected as one of only 26 candidates out of 600 applicants. With the invaluable support he received toward achieving his graduate school goals, including high-touch mentorships, an amazing network of peers, and generous financial support, he received full funding to pursue an MS program at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. This opportunity marks a significant turning point in Oluwatofunmi's career, as he will be studying the interaction between the mantle-plume ridges on the Galapagos Hotspot by processing and analyzing shear waves obtained from the Ocean-Bottom Seismometer. 

In conclusion, this program has the remarkable ability to change lives and create opportunities that once seemed unattainable. 

Thank you, EducationUSA!

My name is Onyema Obi. I graduated from the University of Lagos with a first-class honours, bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. During my undergraduate degree, I served as a fellow of the Millennium Campus Network to advance goal 12 (sustainable consumption and production) of the SDGs. I won the 2nd edition of the Francis Odefiagbon quiz competition at the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Lagos, and was among the team that won the Zonal NSChe quiz competition in 2020. After I graduated from the University of Lagos, I interned at Babban Gona Farmer Services Limited as a business intelligence analyst, where I helped drive the company’s goal to increase the productivity and wellness of smallholder farmers.

I am currently enrolled in a fully funded PhD program at the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. I intend to do research in the area of electrocatalysis and battery technology.

I want to deeply express my gratitude to EducationUSA, Lagos, and the EducationUSA advisors for their immense support and mentorship during and after the application process. 

My time at EducationUSA, Lagos, was a memorable one. I learned from the advisors not only about application and post-application processes (like how to search and apply to graduate school, how to prepare for a visa interview, and things to know before traveling to the US for graduate studies, among others) but also about life lessons I believe will be with me through my time in graduate school and beyond.

For current and future EducationUSA and OFP Scholars, you could not have asked for better advisors.

I want to once again express my heartfelt gratitude to Mrs. U. (Mrs. Chinenye Uwadileke), Mrs. J. (Mrs. Jennifer Okoye), and Mr. G. (Mr. Gbadebo Adejumo) (EducationUSA Lagos advisors) for their mentorship and support during this crucial process in my life. I look forward to working with EducationUSA, Lagos, as well as other scholars to assist aspirants in pursuing graduate degrees in the US.

Thank you, and God bless you.

Oreoluwa Adeogun is a first class student of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye. She studied Industrial Chemistry for her bachelor’s degree, and graduated in the top 2% of her academic set in 2022. Her remarkable performance earned her departmental honors and award from the Department of Chemical Sciences. 

Following her graduation, she honed her research skills in Medicinal Chemistry by working with her undergraduate supervisor (Dr. Odule Atewolara-Odule) for some months, on the medicinal uses of essential oil obtained from several medicinal plants and flowers, before proceeding for her NYSC. Her graduate school processing journey took shape when she applied to the Opportunity Funds Program in 2023, and became one of the EducationUSA Lagos scholars in 2023. Thanks to the recommendation of a previous scholar. This gave her the opportunity to be exposed to vital information and guidance on how to further her education and career. She attended the 2023 graduate boot camp, where she garnered comprehensive information on how to navigate the process and put in competitive application for graduate school, while connecting with many other scholars. 

Oreoluwa is extremely grateful to EducationUSA for the unending support, constant webinars, access to various resources, and mentorship provided to her throughout her application process. Through the constant help provided by the Lagos Advisers, she was able to secure fully funded Chemistry Ph.D. scholarships into two universities in the U.S. She is attending the University of Cincinnati at Ohio, where she plans to pursue research in the synthesis of natural products for the purpose of drug discovery in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry. 

Oreoluwa really wants to say thank you to the previous scholars and impeccable Advisers Mrs. U. (Mrs. Chinenye Uwadileke), Mr. G. (Mr. Gbadebo Adejumo) and Mrs. J. (Mrs. Jennifer Okoye), for their never relenting spirit of seeing to the success and best of their scholars. This could not have happened without their support, and help.

 Osazee H. Oravbiere obtained his bachelor's degree in Structural Engineering from the University of Benin, in 2015, where he finished with First Class Honors (top 1%) and was awarded for his remarkable achievements upon graduation in 2021. 

He worked as a Research Intern at Jeffa Geosurveys and Technical Services, Ltd. before and after his graduation. During his National Youth Service, he worked as a Graduate Structural Engineer at the Works and Physical Planning Division of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology Ikere-Ekiti in 2022. During this time, he became an Opportunity Funds Program, having no prior knowledge in navigating the Grads Application processes before, through the help of EducationUSA Advisors; he secured a fully funded Ph.D. offer at the University of Georgia, US. He is attending as a Ph.D. student in Resilient Infrastructure Systems. 

Due to her passions about plants in regards to their valuable impacts on both humans and the environment, Benedicta has developed a strong desire to understand how plants respond to changes around them. 

In 2021, she graduated as the 2nd best student in the Department of Botany at the University of Lagos. Her interest in using molecular techniques to improve food security and sustainable agriculture led her to intern at the Department of Botany, University of Lagos, and with the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) in Nairobi. During her internships, she gained practical experience conducting field and laboratory experiments on plant crops using both traditional and molecular methods. 

Out of 600 applicants, she was chosen as one of only 26 candidates for the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program for the 2023/2024 cohort. This program provided her with valuable mentorship on securing a fully funded scholarship in the U.S. after overcoming multiple rejections in previous years. 

Now, Benedicta is ready to embark on her PhD studies at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, focusing on Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, all thanks to a fully funded admission offer. Benedicta’s unwavering dedication and determination make her an exemplary role model for individuals passionate about scientific exploration and committed to academic success. She consistently offers her mentorship to upcoming students in this regard.

Oyedeji Temitope Victor was born on March 31st to a family of six in Ibadan, Nigeria. Growing up in an average family and a competitive environment has always taught me to strive to be at the pinnacle of my abilities while also assisting those around me. This conviction has been the foundation for my attitude towards academics, work, and personal life. It has always been spurred by the words of Albert Einstein: "I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious"

Oyedeji graduated as the best graduating student in the Department of Mathematics and the Faculty of Science at the University of Ibadan for the 2020/2021 session, achieving a CGPA of 3.87/4.0. He received several awards, including the General Overseer Excellence Award, Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, 2022, National Outstanding Mathematics Student of the Year at the SNEAWARDS 2021, the Junior Chambers International Nigeria (JCIN) Fifteen Outstanding Persons Award for Most Outstanding in Academic Excellence at the University of Ibadan in 2021, , the Best Sportsman of the Year from the National Association of Mathematical Science Students, University of Ibadan in 2021, Academically Outstanding Student of the Year, Faculty of Science Students’ Association, University of Ibadan , 2021, among others.

During his time at the University of Ibadan , he taught pre-university tutorials and provided tutorials and solutions to mathematics past questions from 100 level to final year. In his final year, he served as the academic director of his faculty.  These accomplishments and more earned him, the nickname "Learning Maths." I was also privileged to be accepted into the Opportunity Funds Program of EducationUSA Abuja and secured a fully funded Ph.D. scholarship at the University of Illinois at Chicago. This opportunity would not have been possible without preparation, guidance from mentors and advisors, fellow scholars, and perseverance.

Peter Oyefolu graduated with a First Class honors bachelor’s degree and was the best-graduating student in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Benin in 2021. He worked as a research assistant at the Bioresources Valorization Laboratory, where he co-authored a few high-impact articles in top Elsevier journals, and he has gained recognition for his leadership experience. Through the generous support of the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program, Peter was offered four fully funded PhD scholarships and a fellowship. He is currently a recipient of the Howard P. Isermann Fellowship for his doctoral program in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, New York. 

Salimat Sofela graduated with First Class honors in Chemistry from the University of Lagos. Afterward, she proceeded to Chrisland University, Abeokuta, as a graduate assistant, where she gained experience in teaching and mentoring undergraduate students on experimental techniques in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Also, she gained relevant research experience in drug discovery, which led to the publication of two first-author papers and two co-authored papers in reputable journals. 

Salimat aims to further her studies, and in her quest to navigate this process, she was among the 26 candidates out of over 900 applicants selected for the EducationUSA Opportunity Fund Program (OFP) in the 2023/2024 cohort. This program helped her gain valuable information and mentorship on securing fully funded offers to attend graduate school in the United States. With the help and support of this program, she successfully secured multiple fully funded offers into five schools, and she will be attending the prestigious Vanderbilt University for her Ph.D. in the Quantitative and Chemical Biology (QCB) Program. She got to know about the school and program she would be attending through a session that was hosted by EducationUSA and thereafter submitted a competitive application that not only earned her a fully funded offer but also a highly competitive fellowship award as one of the top three applicants which will enable her to focus primarily on her research for the first three years. 

Salimat feels grateful and privileged to have EducationUSA's support and is thankful to all the advisors and mentors from the previous cohort. She is dedicated to mentoring other incoming cohorts to achieve their aim of securing fully funded offers to attend graduate school.

Segun holds a Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science from the University of Ibadan, where he graduated with First Class Honours. Following his selection as an EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Scholar, Segun became exposed to what it takes to land a graduate scholarship in the USA. With the unmatched guidance of advisers, numerous available resources, and motivation from EducationUSA, Segun secured a fully funded Master's Degree offer in the Department of Biology (Biotechnology Track) at Georgia State University. He currently serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.

Seun Omogbehin is a highly accomplished and ambitious individual passionate about academic research. He holds a First Class Honors in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Through his teaching and mentoring experiences, he has become comfortable sharing new knowledge and learning new skills and ideas. These skills have led to university, national, and global recognition. He has been recognized for his outstanding academic achievements by receiving about nine scholarships, including the University of Lagos Scholars' Endowment Award, the prestigious Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Scholarship, the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture Scholarship, and the Western Union Foundation Global Scholarship. These awards recognize his academic excellence, determination to achieve his goals, resilience in the face of challenges, and sense of community. 

Seun has a demonstrated track record of success in academic research, with a notable achievement being his co- authorship of a research paper in an international journal. His undergraduate thesis, titled "Diffraction of Water Waves Through Breakwater Gaps," is particularly noteworthy, where he detected and corrected an error in the widely published equation by Morse and Rubenstein (1938) for the diffraction of waves through breakwater gaps. He is currently focused on research in coastal processes and dynamics, disaster resilience and risk management, wave mechanics, and coastal engineering. 

In addition to his academic achievements, Seun actively contributes to his community. Notably, he volunteered at the EducationUSA College Fair in Lagos, where he played a pivotal role in welcoming over 1,000 guests, including school representatives, graduate students, and high school graduates. His assistance in navigating questions about applying to U.S. universities and managing the event's logistics showcased his commitment to fostering educational opportunities. Furthermore, Seun led a team in conducting an interactive session at Lagos Progressive High School, inspiring 50 students to explore ICT-related opportunities in their academic and professional journeys. His dedication to bridging the gap between academia and real-world applications was evident in the showcased integration of ICT in civil engineering practices. 

Seun's commitment to environmental education was demonstrated through his participation in the African Youth for Environment Fellowship. By advocating against plastic pollution, organizing movie screenings, conducting workshops, and reaching over 1,720 students, he actively worked towards empowering young minds to take action and reduce their contributions to environmental challenges. 

Over the 600 applications received for the Opportunity Funds Program (OFP), Seun was one of the only 26 graduate scholars to be offered conditional admission to participate in the 2023/2024 EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program. This intensive program provided him with valuable information on how to secure full funding admission to competitive schools in the United States. Thanks to the teachings, seminars, workshops, and mentorship from this program, he received four admissions for his PhD program in the US. He will be attending North Carolina State University in the Fall semester of 2024 on a full ride where he will be working with Prof. Casey Dietrich on the modeling of long-term 3D circulation and transport patterns of hazardous materials in the estuaries and sounds of North Carolina. 

Seun is driven by a strong desire to make meaningful contributions to the field of Civil and Environmental Engineering with a concentration on Environmental, Water Resources, and Coastal Engineering and aspires to be a Professor of Coastal Engineering, where he can advance research in the field and ensure the implementation of proposed research studies through collaborative multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research. He is particularly interested in utilizing his skills to address critical global challenges and is determined to work diligently and consistently toward this goal. Seun's ultimate goal is to become the first Nigerian Nobel laureate in Applied Sciences.

Sinmiloluwa Akande is a first-generation student born and bred in Ibadan, Oyo State. She graduated from Morning Star Comprehensive College in 2021 and was privileged to serve in various leadership positions. She was the class captain of her class for 5 consecutive years and the head girl in her final year. She broke the record of the highest WAEC result ever had by her school in years by having 6As and 3Bs. She was also the Valedictorian of her graduating class.

Sinmiloluwa took a gap year after her high school graduation where she spent most of her time on self- improvement and giving back to her community. Her affinity for children propelled her to serve in her local church as a teacher. She also volunteers her time through secondary school outreaches where she mentors public high school students in Ibadan and broadens their academic scope. Her affinity for research also led her to intern at the Drosophila Research and Training Institute where she gained insights into how fruit flies(Drosophila melanogaster) can be used in the neuroscientific field. 

In June 2023, Sinmiloluwa was selected as an EducationUSA OFP Scholar after submitting her application by faith. She submitted her applications to various colleges in the United States of America. She got into Fisk University(Partial funding), Alabama A&M University(Partial funding), Wellesley College(Full ride), Simmons University(Partial funding), and Spelman College.

She will be attending Wellesley College this fall as a Neuroscience major student on a pre-med track where she hopes to continue researching on finding a better drug treatment for Parkinson's disease using fruit flies as a case study. 

When you can’t find Sinmiloluwa practicing her lines for the next playlet at church rehearsals, she is catching up with a Korean drama.