By Favour Nnabugwu
A 22 year-old Nigerian lady,, Nkechinyere Chidi-Ogbolu, has earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California in the US.
Nkechinyere is one of the youngest PhD holders in the country and a shining example of academic excellence.
She started her academic journey at 14, when she left her home country and moved to Washington, D.C., where she enrolled in Howard University for her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering.
She graduated with honors at the age of 18 and received scholarships to pursue her Master’s and PhD degrees in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
She also has a message for other young people who want to follow their dreams: “Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do. Believe in yourself and work hard. Seek out mentors and role models who can guide you and motivate you. And most importantly, enjoy what you do.”
Nkechinyere is a true role model for all who want to make a positive impact in the world through our talents and passions.
She attended Carol Nursery and Primary School, Agidingbi, Ikeja in Lagos. Went to the West African International School in The Gambia before leaving for Howard University, United States.
According to her, “I had already graduated from secondary school and had sat for all the required examinations, including the International General Certificate of Secondary Education, the Scholastic Aptitude Test and the Test of English as a Foreign Language at the time”.
She further said, “I was able to get scholarship to a number of universities and I selected Howard University because it was a historical black college or university. I graduated in May with a Magna Cum Laude which is an equivalent of between 3.5 and 3.8. There is also the Summa Cum Laude”.
