I came to Smith College from Lagos, Nigeria, following my two older sisters to Smith. Although I attended the best public high school for girls in the country, there were many challenges that impeded my education. One of the most critical was periodic strikes by teachers, due to delayed or withheld salary payments by the government. As a result, I had to take classes at a private institution during the strikes, and return when teachers agreed to come back temporarily, often at the end of the term. However, the opportunity to take classes elsewhere was not available to most students, which had a negative academic and social impact on students, some of whom indulged in social misconduct or dropped out of school consequently.
Although this issue has been somewhat addressed, exorbitant secondary school fees have become the biggest challenge at hand because the government does not fund or subsidize education beyond the primary level. This has made it even more difficult for girls to attend secondary school, or even think about attending higher education institutions. As Nigeria still suffers from political, economic, and environmental stresses, women are put aside in most aspects in society, especially education, and the results of this are obvious in the corrupt governance and instability of the country.
What has kept me encouraged at Smith is the knowledge of how privileged and blessed I am to have access to a world-class education, and I have persevered for the sake of my family and country that look up to educated women such as myself. I am hoping to work within the Geosciences or Environmental Science field after graduation, and then move on to graduate school, after which I will return to Nigeria to practice environmental consulting, and get involved in environmental policy after several years.
Without the funding I received to continue my education at Smith College, I know I would not have the opportunities I have today, and cannot express my gratitude enough for the impact Smith has had on my life. I know that the Fulfill the Potential fund will bring to Smith, women who are ready to use their education to make changes in their societies, and extend help to many other women. My Smith education has helped me establish and achieve goals I once thought were unattainable, and this is just one example of what the fund will do for many others.
Again, thank you for reaching out to me on behalf of the project. Please let me know if you need any more information or help.
Sincerely,
Ngozika Onuzo
Smith College ‘12
