Student success story: From Nigeria to the University of Calgary
In 2018, I sat in my room in Lagos, Nigeria, watching a convocation video on YouTube from a university in the United States. The students were happy, taking pictures and throwing their caps in the air. Their families were excited. I was pretty sure it was going to be a fun-filled day for those folks.
And me? I was sitting on a sofa with my laptop placed in front of me, wondering if someone like me could ever be in that same position.
Back then, having already earned two degrees from Nigerian universities, I wanted more, not just more certificates, but global experience and exposure. I was passionate about energy and sustainability and dreamed of studying in North America to gain the tools and knowledge to make a real impact. But looking into my family’s financial situation, studying abroad was a no-go area for me, and everything I read online made it seem like fully funded scholarships were the only way to make it happen.
So I chased fully funded opportunities hard.
The cold email hustle
From 2018 to 2021, I have sent over 1,000 cold emails to professors across the U.S. and Canada. I stayed up late reading their journal articles, exploring each professor’s Google Scholar profile to align my interests with their research area, and attaching my resume, statement of motivation and research publication to show my suitability for the advertised position.
Every time I heard the email notification sound, my heart beat fast, another rejection. I called it breakfast. Another, “Sorry, I am not accepting students in my lab right now,” or the polite version, I like your background, resume and academic credentials. I will keep them in mind for future openings. Some never even replied.
It was exhausting, and I was downtrodden. I began to question if I was good enough. After so many rejections, it is easy to start thinking maybe the problem is me; maybe I am not doing things right.
But still, the dream did not go away.
A shift in mindset
By the end of 2021, I was emotionally drained. I sat on my bed and asked myself a reality question: “Should I just give up and settle for a job in Nigeria?” The frustrated side of me was saying yes. But something deeper said no.
So I decided to pivot.
If funded opportunities were not coming, could I find another route?
I started looking into self-funded options. At first, I tried the local banks, but they needed collateral, and I did not have that. Then I looked into family loans, but honestly, no one in my circle had that kind of money. I started to feel discouraged again, thinking maybe this was not meant to be. That night, to take my mind off things, I picked up my phone and logged in to my Twitter account to relax my head after the struggle of the day. I was not even thinking about school anymore, just trying to breathe, scroll, to escape for a moment. Then I saw a random post of an international study loan from MPOWER Financing. I blinked twice.
The discovery that changed my life
In the beginning, it felt too good to be true. A study loan that did not need a cosigner or collateral, a competitive interest rate, a well-structured repayment plan up to 10 years, a visa support letter, with Career Accelerator guidance. I said to myself, it seems these people knew my current dilemma as an international student.
I stayed awake all night reading on their website. The more I read, the more I saw myself reflected in the stories of other students from the TrustPilot reviews. People from India, Colombia, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Ghana have used MPOWER to fund their educational dreams and are doing so well after graduation.
The significant part for me was that MPOWER looked at my future potential, not just my current circumstances.
I applied. It was the first time I felt like I was moving forward. When I got the approval email, I could not believe it. I read it over and over. This was not just a loan; it was my ticket to a new chapter.
From visa stamp to Calgary snow
With my MPOWER approval visa support letter and the financial disclosure breakdown document, I applied for my study permit. The confidence and the credibility it gave me during my visa process made everything smoother; it was a game-changer. I was not going in as someone hoping to study; I had already secured my funding.
I still remember landing in Calgary and feeling the cold bite of Canadian winter. But inside me, it felt like sunshine. After years of waiting, I was fulfilling my study abroad dream in a world-class citadel of learning.
Becoming a bridge for others
Before I left the shore of Nigeria, I realized I was not the only one who had struggled with funding. There are a lot of brilliant minds who are also stuck on the wheel. I decided to take it upon myself and started talking to other students, sharing how I found MPOWER Financing and showing them it was possible. I decided to create a MPOWER Financing student funding hub community on WhatsApp, Telegram, organize events, Twitter Spaces and webinars on the MPOWER study loan.
I began to receive messages from students across the globe asking how I did it. I put them through and they were approved. Some cried with joy. Each time I saw another student unlock their dream, it felt like I was repaying what MPOWER had done for me. Most of my reviews are on MPOWER Financing Trustpilot for reference. Eventually, MPOWER noticed. I got invited to become a Student Global Ambassador. Since 2023, I have introduced over 500 students to MPOWER Financing to contribute to the mission to make socioeconomic mobility borderless, and that number keeps growing.
What I have learned
Those years of rejection were not a waste. They built my resilience and consistency. It taught me how to advocate for myself, how to take the bull by the horns and how to keep going when doors do not open.
I also learned that success does not always come the way you expect. I thought a fully funded research assistantship position was the only way. Eventually, it was not. There are other paths; we just need to key into them and take the future into our own hands
Most importantly, I learned that when you invest in yourself, others start to respect you and believe in you, too.
A parallel to what I study
In sustainable energy, we are constantly looking for alternative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make the environment a safe place to live without using today’s activities to jeopardize future generations. We do not reject solar because it is not coal. We explore it because it is sustainable and powerful in its own way.
That is exactly what MPOWER is doing in education. They are investing in students, providing an alternative path to their dreams, one that is not tied to wealth or privilege, but to drive and unlock their future potential.
To anyone still trying…
If you are reading this and you are in that rough spot. I feel your pain and struggles. Please do not give up.
If plan A doesn’t work. Plan B could suffice and change everything.
Sometimes you do not need a scholarship to succeed. What you need is a belief in yourself, taking responsibility for yourself, a willingness to try something new and the right support system.
For me, that support was MPOWER Financing, and now, I get to be that support for others.
If you are looking to follow this path, start by researching your loan options early, and do not hesitate to ask questions. Trust me, your breakthrough may be one link or conversation away. MPOWER Financing did not just fund my education; it empowered me and helped fund my future.
