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For Exxon Mobil undergraduate merit scholarship, in my 2nd year (2008/2009 academic session), Mobil advertised in the newspaper for undergrads in MEDICINE, AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, ENGINEERING AND I THINK LAW to apply for scholarship which would last till graduation.
The value of the scholarship was #70,000 per annum. Notice that Biological Sciences wasn't included as eligible faculties in the fields above and Zoology, my course of study, was under Biological Sciences. I went ahead & applied & still wasn't shortlisted for the exam/interview.
But there was a caveat. In that same newspaper shortlising, interested eligible students who couldn't apply before the closing of the portal were still encouraged to come to the venue of the exam.
As far as I was concerned, I was eligible, cos the criteria was atleast 5A's in O'level (A1, B2 or B3 qualified as A) & here I was with 7A1's, 1B2 & 1B3. My certicates were in the hostel (Nsukka) & I was at home (Owerri) for either NUGA or ASUU strike,
so I asked my friend to jump into my room & bring them. The venue was in Owerri, my backyard (Concord hotel), so when my documents arrived, I went for the exam the next day. Those who were shortlisted were allowed in first after accreditation. We stayed in the queue till 5pm...
waiting for them to be accredited and also write their exams. It got to our turn, "the leftovers" and they started accrediting (checking O'level, DOB and department) for eligibility. It got to my turn, my O'level was very impressive, the "problem" was my department, Zoology.
It wasn't under any of the eligible faculties so they wanted to toss me aside. I told them no way, that Fisheries is a branch of Zoology as well as Agriculture, Entomology is a part of Zoology as well as Agriculture.
I made my case that Zoology was an interdisciplinary course with pathways to medicine, agriculture and environmental sciences and I should be given my chance. They let me in after discussing amongst themselves.
I wrote the exam (GRE and GMAT format) and there and then, I knew I would pass. The question was, will I be awarded?
To my surprise, about 3 months later, my HOD sent for me and said he received a letter/mail from ExxonMobil, that I got the Undergraduate Merit award scholarship. "I fainted and woke up" (pun intended).
Imagine that I had given up?
Since then, when anyone says I am not qualified, I ask "WHY?"
Since then, when anyone says I am not qualified, I ask "WHY?"
