The Master in Public Administration graduate helping Nigerians study abroad

One in every five of the world’s out-of-school children is in Nigeria.

As of 2020, 67.9% of Nigeria’s youth had secondary education, but only 16.8% pursued post-secondary education.

Stanley Peter Anukwuocha, a master’s in public administration graduate and founder of Education African Scholars Global Connect, has been fixing these figures.

Despite facing financial hardships growing up, Anukwuocha has received several scholarships that put him through his diploma, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees. Source: Stanley Peter Anukwuocha

‘I could not afford to pay the tuition, but that did not deter me from attending school.’

Anukwuocha grew up in a family of seven. He lost his mother when he was young, and at one point, his father was a retired civil servant who received a monthly pension of less than US$10 from the state government.

But despite all that, Anukwuocha was determined to receive an education. He did not let the financial challenges his family was facing stop him from going to school, so he supported himself through menial jobs.

“Back then, I was living in the Enugu State of Nigeria. I worked in construction sites, at timber markets, and shuttling people around on a motorcycle — also known as ‘okada’,” he shares.

Through his hard work, Anukwuocha earned his Ordinary National Diploma in Public Administration from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), a polytechnic school.

And while most would have been satisfied with that, Anukwuocha wanted to take his studies up to another level.

“After my diploma, I wanted to attend university because IMT was a polytechnic,” he says.

“It isn’t a university; it’s a college. Attending university meant higher costs and that was something I could not afford. I also lost my side income as the Nigerian government passed a policy that banned motorcycles in major cities in Enugu, which meant my ‘okada’ business came to an end.”

Amidst the uncertainty, an opportunity to pursue a degree fell into his lap — he ended up living with a Catholic priest and philanthropist, Rev. Fr. Francis Nwaiwi, in Abia state of Nigeria. The priest not only provided him with a home but eventually assisted him financially by paying for his tuition fees.

“While I lived with the priest, I initially received a monthly stipend, which I saved to pay for my tuition,” says Anukwuocha. “When the time came, I applied and enrolled myself to university using my savings. But the priest saw my determination and decided to cover my tuition fees to help me stay in school.”

With that, Anukwuocha enrolled at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike and was accepted to their Industrial Relations and Personnel Management degree programme.

This subject might have some differences from his diploma, but both programmes shared a focus on human resource management, creating a natural progression in his studies.

In June 2017, Anukwuocha graduated with a first-class degree, earning the title of best-graduating student. His academic excellence led to a position as a teaching and graduate research assistant in the same department he just graduated from. 

But Anukwuocha’s thirst for knowledge pushed him to aim higher: to study abroad.

“I could not afford to pay the tuition, but that did not deter me from attending school abroad. My passion to pursue the highest degree possible drives me to find alternative ways to get enrolled in a foreign university,” he says.

“Despite all odds, I used every resource available to me and took any opportunity that arose.”

He explored universities in the UK, Canada, and Europe but ultimately focused on US institutions, where fully funded scholarships were more readily available.

In 2022, Anukwuocha’s perseverance paid off when he was awarded a full scholarship to Northern Illinois University (NIU) to pursue a master’s in public administration. He graduated from the programme in May 2024.

During his time at NIU, Anukwuocha was part of the International City/County Management Association and the NIU Students’ Chapter. He also served as an ambassador for international students and a senator representing graduate students.

As a result of his dedication, he was awarded a prestigious national award from the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA).

“It recognises outstanding African American and minority students for their leadership and I had the honour of receiving it for the year 2023,” Anukwuocha shares. “I was also awarded a Graduate Leadership Award from NIU. I’m happy that my campus involvement was recognised by the university.”

But that wasn’t all that he got up to. 

Driven by his passion for public administration and a desire to give back, he founded Education African Scholars Global Connect, an organisation dedicated to helping African youths achieve their dreams of studying abroad.

We spoke to Anukwuocha about his work with Education African Scholars Global Connect and the personal advice he could share with those following in his footsteps. 

The Education African Scholars Global Connect has successfully funded six students, including one pursuing a master’s in international and development economics at Yale University. Source: Stanley Peter Anukwuocha

What prompted the founding of Education African Scholars Global Connect? 

Education African Scholars Global Connect is a non-profit organisation I founded in 2022.

I started helping students part-time in 2020, when I was still in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic, to allow them to further their education abroad and to get them funding.

Back then, it was called People Empowering People Tutorials (PEP-T). When it came to late 2022 or early 2023, I had the idea of enlarging our scope and it led me to form a team to work with me on the expansion.

My team and I know it’s hard for people, especially in Africa, to have access to quality education. Looking back at my experience navigating financial struggles and lack of access to education, I wanted to give back to society by assisting others in gaining access to quality education through the organisation. 

Our organisation offers students in Africa assistance with searching for and identifying graduate programmes, applying for admissions, preparing students for standardised tests, guiding students in writing application essays, and assisting with SEVIS fee payments. 

Additionally, we help research and apply for scholarships, assist with admission fee payments, conduct mock F-1 visa interviews, and offer travel allowance for their move abroad.

We have successfully funded six students’ travel allowances as part of our 2024 Personal Travel Allowance Scholarship Programme — three from Nigeria and three from Ghana. They have all been admitted to prestigious universities in the US, including East Carolina University, Yale University, the University of Georgia, Lehigh University, Illinois University, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The goal of Education African Scholars Global Connect is to fund more students to pursue their higher education and to increase the number of leaders who can contribute to Africa’s development, especially its human capital development.

Funding is often a challenge that non-profit organisations face, but that has not stopped Anukwuocha from helping African students pursue their dreams of studying in countries like the US and the UK. Source: Stanley Peter Anukwuocha

What are the hardships you and your student scholars are facing?

One of the major challenges I faced and am still facing is funding.

Running a non-profit organisation requires a lot of funds, and I was a student earning a monthly stipend. I have used personal funds to establish this organisation.

We have received several messages from students suffering hardships who cannot obtain higher education, but our hands are tied due to limited funding. I wish I could help everyone, but unfortunately, I can’t.

For many student scholars, both in and out of our organisation, a lack of funds is their biggest challenge. They do not have access to the internet as they can’t afford the subscription. As a result, they cannot conduct research on universities, apply for them, or sit for online admission interviews.

In addition, many students need help affording the application fee, GRE, or English proficiency exam due to the high exchange rate between the US dollar and Nigerian naira. The GREs and English proficiency exams are very, very expensive.

The plan is to award students with an application fee scholarship. They would need to submit their applications, and we’ll pick out strong candidates. Those who pass our screening will be offered US$60 to US$100, depending on our budget.

We’ll also assist with transferring the payments, as most universities in the US do not accept debit or credit cards from Nigeria, making it difficult for students to pay for the admission payment.

Anukwuocha is currently in Chicago, US and is working with board members and facilitators of Education African Scholars Global Connect to find ways to help African students further their education abroad. Source: Stanley Peter Anukwuocha

What is your advice for students going abroad?

Be open to new cultures, along with learning, unlearning, and relearning habits. What I mean by that is to unlearn old habits, learn something new, and try to improve on the ones you already know.

Plus, you will need to understand that the style of education in your home country and the country you’re studying in is different. You should be open to learning and understanding how classes are taught. Don’t be discouraged if you find it difficult.

Try connecting with people who share your mindset. Upon arrival, the kind of person you surround yourself with determines whether you will survive in the new country. You can join student organisations or volunteer to find the right group of friends.

So, if you connect with the wrong people, they will lead you down the wrong path. And if you connect with the right people, they will be there with you to walk the right path.