QS ImpACT Social Responsibility Scholarship: 2024 winner

Absolutely, it was great! I went to a QS Discover event in Lagos, and it was eye-opening to see so many schools there from several countries with so many great programmes.  

There were several open sessions with the schools to hear about their programmes. What QS does is really nice, because having these conversations with the schools brings the experience a bit closer. It doesn't make the application seem like it's so far away. And there are so many perks that come with interacting with people at those events too. 

I always knew I wanted to do a Master’s in Public Health (MPH). I’m a physician in Nigeria, so I was already involved in a lot of things public health-related and did a lot of work in that area. But I wanted to get formal training to try to make a career out of it as well. I knew I wanted to come to the US to do my masters too – that was just a personal preference – so I didn't really apply to schools anywhere else. 

All the schools I applied to were for the MPH, and it wasn't a very tough choice to be fair. I always knew about Johns Hopkins, and that it's the number one school of public health in the US, arguably in the world. So yeah, it was pretty exciting to be able to come here. 

To be honest, I was just scouring the web. I can't pinpoint exactly how I stumbled on it, but I really needed as many scholarships as I could get and was just searching, every day. Thankfully I found this one.. As a Nigerian, and in the position that I was in, I wasn't eligible for most scholarships that I came across, so this was one of a few I could actually apply for.  

On the QS website, I also came across the interview with Illustrious [Illustrious Amaewhule Ewhorlu] who won the Social Impact Award two years ago, and that also motivated me to apply. 

I finished medical school in 2021, then worked as a physician for about three years before I came here, and it was clear there was a gap. Especially for people who couldn't afford healthcare, and perhaps didn’t seek treatment early enough because of the cost, or came but couldn’t afford to pay. Then there were people in places without access to facilities, hospitals or practitioners. 

I felt there was more we could do to reach out to those people and physically go to them. I think that's what public health means to me. That led to most of the public health work I did before I came here. It's great to want to do things out of passion, but it helps to have the knowledge and skill set to be able to do so effectively, which is why I wanted to get my MPH degree.  

What I really loved about Johns Hopkins – aside from the fact that I always knew about the school and that it is the number one school of public health – was the support. There's a lot of support through the application process, so you don't feel like you're left alone. They have regularly organised sessions, they give you tips and advice, and you can reach out and talk about the issues you face. They make it clear that they want you to come, and I think that's really important.  

It's very intense because it's an 11-month programme compared to most MPH programmes which are two years long, but I've loved it because I'm learning and I'm meeting amazing people. I may feel tired physically, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Aside from the theoretical and practical knowledge, one of the best things about being in a place like this is the connections you make. I have about 250 classmates from all over the world who are doing amazing things in their own right. And those relationships go beyond the programme, as you can rely on them to help you achieve the things you want to do when you leave.  

It’s the varied perspective that it brings. I’ve lived my life in a particular place, and seen things in a particular way. But meeting people from different backgrounds and cultural mindsets, with different experiences of healthcare systems, allows me to see things from all those shared perspectives.  

Not only that, by being here in the US, I’m seeing how their healthcare system works, and where it's good and not so good. I can also see how we’re not so bad in Nigeria, and there are things we are actually really good at.  

I have experience working as a physician and with UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited and a number of other NGOs in Nigeria, so I've already done some work trying to make healthcare accessible. But I’m learning that you need to have the tools, strategies and support structures in place to make it sustainable – so you have to think about it from a management side as well. 

I want to learn as much as I can and understand exactly how I can achieve my goals. When I've finished the course, I can leverage that knowledge, as well as the community I’ve gained, and contribute to lasting change. 

First, decide what you want to do. One of my favourite professors usually says, ‘Ask yourself, what keeps you up at night, what bothers you?’ as it can help you identify what you want to achieve. Then you can find a course that will help you achieve it. You can then research which schools offer the best courses in this area, and ask them questions or join information sessions to find out if they can support you. 

Many schools want to know where you are now, how you got to this point, and how they can help you get to where you want to be. They want to see that you believe they can help you.  

I would say, just keep searching. I’d never heard about the QS scholarship, but I scoured the net trying to find something. It's also important to ask questions. For example, if you see that someone has won a scholarship, reach out to them, like I reached out to Illustrious on LinkedIn, and ask for tips. It clearly helped me because I got the scholarship! 

Just that I'm really grateful. It’s so rewarding to know that my work counts for something and is recognised. And I’m grateful for the support I've had from QS as I've been in touch with a number of the staff since I got my scholarship. The process was great and it's all been amazing. So thank you, QS!