By CHINYERE OKOROAFOR

Thirty Opportunity Funds Program scholars of the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos have received fully-funded scholarships totaling $4.35 million to attend American universities and colleges for the 2021/2022 academic session.

The financial aid from the US Consulate General covered expenses such as payment for standardized tests, application fees, and visa fees in addition to air travel to the United States.

Speaking on Thursday in Lagos during a reception in honor of the U.S.-bound students, Consul General Claire Pierangelo urged the scholars to make the most of their opportunity to get a top-notch education while gaining the first-hand experience of American life and culture.

“I congratulate each one of you on your tremendous success. Your success is evidence of your leadership, academic performance, and the great potential young Nigerians hold for the future of this country,” Consul General Pierangelo told the departing students.

“This is a very important step in your life. I strongly encourage you to maximize this opportunity. This is not just in reference to your education as you have proven yourselves to be academically outstanding students. I am also referring to your chance to broaden your horizons and embrace the diversity of people around you and learn, not just about America, but also about other cultures,” she stated.

Ekene Ezeunala, one of the 2021 Opportunity Fund Program scholars, achieved the highest score in Nigeria at the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(UTME).

The 17-year-old alumnus of Meiran Community Senior High School Lagos received full funding to study Computer Science and Mathematics at Columbia University in the City of New York.

He described the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program as “a truly life-changing experience.”

“EducationUSA opened up a whole new world of opportunities and resources I never knew were available to me,” Ezeunala added.

Another 2021 OFP scholar, Urinrin Otite, was the first student to earn a first-class degree in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Port Harcourt.

Otite will be attending Lehigh University in Pennsylvania where she received a fully-funded offer to pursue a doctoral degree in Civil Engineering with a research focus on resilient and sustainability of structures and infrastructure systems.

“Looking back, the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program was the bridge I needed to reach my dream of studying in the U.S., and I would recommend reaching out to EducationUSA as the perfect first step to anyone hoping to study in the US,” Otite said.

The 30 departing students — 6 undergraduates, 3 masters and 21 doctoral candidates —will be studying a variety of majors including Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Bioinformatics, Computer Science and Engineering.

Their impressive list of acceptances includes Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Columbia University, Princeton University, Purdue University, University of Pennsylvania, among others.

According to the latest Institute of International Education Open Doors Report, Nigeria retained its top ranking as the number one source of African students studying in the United States.

About 13,762 Nigerians study at more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities. (The Nation)

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