Man Studying From Nigeria Emerges as Overall Outstanding PhD Student in US University, Shares Story
- A Nigerian PhD student who began his doctorate in a US school from Lagos shared how close he came to being withdrawn from his programme
- The young graduate narrated his series of struggles, from lack of electricity to time zone differences, during his first year of online graduate classes
- He went on to earn straight As after a rocky start, graduating as an outstanding student at his US university
Muneer Yaqub, a Nigerian PhD graduate based in the United States, has opened up about how his academic journey nearly collapsed before it ever truly began.
Writing on X, Yaqub (@elMunir5) described the difficult circumstances that defined his first year in a doctoral programme, which he began during the COVID-19 pandemic while he was in Nigeria.
Source: Twitter
Because of travel restrictions, he could not physically travel to the US, so he attended graduate-level classes remotely from Lagos.
PhD holder shares struggles at US university
According to him, all through the time in was in Nigeria studying, he constantly battled poor internet connections, frequent power outages, and the challenge of keeping pace with coursework across multiple time zones.
The situation took a toll on his performance. He missed classes and dropped out of sessions mid-stream when electricity failed. He lost an entire exam to a poor internet connection at a critical moment.
However, despite the tough beginning, he was able to relocate to the US before the academic year ran out. He ended up bagging the overall Outstanding PhD Student at The University of Texas at Dallas.
He said in his X post in part:
"My first year was rough. I began my PhD during the COVID lockdown, while travel restrictions meant I had not even set foot on campus. I was taking classes online from Lagos, Nigeria, trying to keep up with graduate coursework across time zones, erratic internet, and unreliable power supply."
"I messed up one exam because my internet connection failed. I missed a few classes, or dropped out in the middle of them, because the power went out. I did not have much of a support system beyond a couple of classmates I managed to reach out to, who were also trying to survive the same uncertainty."
"At the end of my first semester, I had taken two classes. I got a B in both. For international students, less than a B is failure. So, I passed … by a margin."
"By spring, I had finally made it to the U.S. That semester, I got a B and an A-. And then, slowly, things began to turn."
"From there, I earned straight As. I found my footing. I grew into the work, the lab, the science, and the community. I went on to have some of the most formative and meaningful experiences of my life."
"Given how rocky the beginning was, finishing my PhD as the overall Outstanding PhD Student at The University of Texas at Dallas was definitely not on my bingo card."
See his post that sparked the conversation below:
Reactions as Nigerian bag PhD from US university
His account drew an outpouring of responses from people who found it encouraging.
@maduabuchijuli2 said:
"Congratulations, 🥳 and thank you for your encouraging words."
@patrickonchain said:
"You just inspired to spend an extra 4 hours in the library. ☺️ Thank you sir."
@cryptaffi said:
"This is no mean feat. Congrats Doc. 🎉"
@OlaOkeleji said:
"congratulations Muneer."
LASU graduate bags PhD at US university
Earlier, Legit.ng had reported that a Nigerian man who bagged a first-class degree from Lagos State University celebrated as he got a PhD in the US.
The man sent a message to his wife and all those who supported him during his studies in the US.
Source: Legit.ng
