It’s not enough to dream; DREAM BIG, WORK HARD and DARE TO CHALLENGE STATUS QUO.
Self Belief. Focus. Rugged Determination are Keys every successful person holds dearly.
Ngozi Ukweni is the very definition of #excellence. #Goals if you like; At just 26 she has achieved far more than her contemporaries:
– Forbes Under 30 Scholar
– Graduated in 2015 with First class honours in Accounting from Babcock University. There
she also won the award for Most Influential Female, and the Babcock Alumni Award of Excellence.
– Professionally certified: As at 2015 Ngozi had already attained four additional professional certifications, Graduate Member Nigeria Institute of Management (GNIM), a Certified E-business Professional(CEP), Project Management Professional(PMP) certificate.
-Upon graduation, she worked with Obafemi Awolowo University as a Graduate Assistant before delving into financial advisory at KPMG.
– More recently, the high flyer following a Graduate Assistant scholarship, bagged her Master’s Degree in Business Administration, majoring in Business Analytics from Illinois State University, US.
Ngozi Ukweni speaking on how she was selected as a Forbes Under 30 Scholar, disclosed she heard about the scholarship program and the desire to be chosen instantly consumed her.
Amazingly, after undergoing an application process and submitting an essay about leadership and diversity, her dream came true and she was selected to attend the 2019 event, which took place in Detroit, October 27–30.
Each year, Forbes magazine selects 1,000 high-achieving undergraduate and graduate students from across the country to receive a scholarship to attend its celebrated Forbes Under 30 Summit. The conference brings together “the future captains of technology, entertainment, finance, fashion, food and philanthropy” for “a life-changing four days of connecting, learning, teaching and building.” The website says.
Ngozi, reveling in the moment says:
“This was one of those times when you see your goal blossom into a reality and an accomplishment.”
The ISU graduate born into a family of five, grew up in Abia state, Nigeria before her journey to Illinois.
In 2013, Ngozi began her professional journey at KPMG Nigeria as an intern before being subsequently elevated full staff in 2016.
Giving Back: While at the university, she was very active member of Enactus Nigeria and has since become very involved in corporate social responsibility projects at KPMG, UN and more. She also provides financial advisory services to SMEs as a freelancer.
Word of advice:
“Focus on what you want to do. Learn as much as you can. Ask as many questions as you can,” she said. “Especially for international students, I would say that when you see an opportunity, don’t be afraid to apply for it. I’ve had several opportunities here that I’ve just taken the bull by the horns, and it has really worked out. Also, it’s not just about setting a goal, you need to walk towards it. If you have something you want to do, you know that you have to work hard to prepare for it. That’s just how life is. When hard work meets perseverance, you can accomplish any goal you set out to accomplish. That’s one of the things I learned from this entire experience.”
