AAUA Student Makes Top 10 list of Global Student Prize

Oluwadamilola Akintewe, a student of Adekunle Ajasin, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, has made it as one of the 10 finalists shorted for the Chegg.org Global Student Prize.

The list, which was unveiled by the organisers, had her as the only Nigerian who made it through from the top 50 to the top 10.

Earlier in September, Campus Reporter reported that 50 finalists were shortlisted to compete for the prize.

As a student, Damilola has committed the past 4 years of her life to social influence. In AAUA, she is the first female team leader of Enactus, a global society of students, business leaders and professionals who use entrepreneurship to impact lives.

The Administrator of Chegg.org, Lila Thomas said: “Our finalists this year have made a huge impact in areas from the environment to equality and justice, from health and wellbeing to education and skills, from youth empowerment to ending poverty. We were so inspired by the achievements of these extraordinary students throughout the world that applied for the inaugural Global Student Prize that Chegg chose to double the value of the prize to $100,000. Chegg.org is a supporter of the Global Teacher Prize and has partnered with the Varkey Foundation to create the new Global Student Prize.”

Speaking about her excitement on this new feat she has achieved, Damilola described herself as who the Lord has blessed, just as her name implies.

“This is a dream come true and I am grateful to Varkey Foundation and Chegg for this opportunity.”

She continued by saying: “I am grateful to carry the Nigerian flag in this cohort and of course, I am grateful to God in heaven who has been kind to me.”

In the year 2020, she was the youngest person to make the list of Top 100 Women creating a better Africa. Early this 2021, she was unveiled as one of 30 under 30 global changemakers by Opportunity Desk and won the inaugural Samantha Singh Award essay for young people aspiring to careers in development policy. 

While applying, Damilola aimed she would use the money to fund her postgraduate professional training in Law School, so that she can do pro bono work for victims of sexual violence when she is eventually able to practise as a lawyer. She will also be able to register Forbidden Topics as an NGO and fully set up its social enterprise aspect – a statement clothing line – using a percentage of the proceeds to better the lives of women and girls in rural communities of Nigeria and beyond.

According to her, if she wins, her focus will be finding women and young [people] opportunities. I will look for partnerships with organisations to run more education, business and opportunities for children, girls and women in rural communities.”

Damilola, who hails from Ondo state will be competing with other 9 finalists in the Student Global Prize to win a grand prize of One Hundred Thousand Dollars. As earlier reported, by next month, winners will be announced in Paris.

The 10 finalists for the Chegg.org Global Student Prize are:

1. AMISA RASHID

Nairobi, Kenya

2. ANA JULIA DE CARVALHO

Maceio, Brazil

3. ELLIOTT LANCASTER

Newcastle, United Kingdom

4. JEREMIAH THORONKA

Sierra Leone

5. KEHKASHAN BASU

Toronto, Canada

6. LAMYA BUTT

Dubai, UAE

7. MATINE KHALIGHI

Massachusetts, USA

8. MIRKO CAZZATO

Lecce, Italy

9. OLUWADAMILOLA AKINTEWE

Ondo, Nigeria

10. SEEMA KUMARI

Ranchi, India