Hello Friends, I am new here an I need constructive opinions concerning my essay for Chevening application. thank you.
Chevening is looking for individuals that will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer
I believe a leader is one who can effectively communicate his vision and achieve them when he motivates and inspires others to excel, empowers others by helping them grow and develop, and makes tough decisions. I have expressed some or all these attributes at some point in both my personal life and career. I see myself as both a situational and participative kind of leader. This is because I express my creativity in problem-solving when faced with challenges and I believe in teamwork.
As a third year student, I became involved in my department's editorial magazine, MicroNews, along with three of my course mates. Readership was low and less exciting when we came on board, so my colleagues and I came up with the idea of including a cartoon section to the magazine. As the cartoonist, I ensured that I came up with daily cartoon concepts that expressed the needs and desires of students. MicroNews ratings improved because of how the cartoons related to students' daily life. This inspired my colleagues to channel their energies into writing 'everyday experiences' articles. This experience showed me how much I could lead and influence other people's action through my actions.
As a Programs Officer working with orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Anambra state, I appreciated the value of growing up in a family. My research in OVC matters showed that caregivers lacked the techniques and knowledge in nutrition, education and psychology of OVC. This affected the health, intelligence and mentality of the OVC. These challenges faced by the children inspired me to discus and convince my Program Director about setting up a training program for private-owned and catholic-based caregivers on OVC matters. With my Director's approval, I set up the quarterly CLAP OVC training program. I sorted out the services of intellects and private individuals as well as the state government in providing technical and financial support respectively for the program. This decision to empower OVC care givers with the technical know-how on OVC matters improved OVC well-being and showed how a leader fulfils his vision by empowering others to succeed.
As an Environmental Manager, I have been given lots of duties even outside my job description. This highlights the confidence my boss places is my ability to make tough decisions, with little or no supervision, on the job. I vividly recall a situation where I led a team of four colleagues on a UNDP-assisted survey of Delta state public facilities and users in eight local government areas. We were low on funds and personnel, and had less than two weeks. Together with my team, I made the tough choice of making us go, as a group, to each local government instead of individually as earlier arranged by the State Coordinator. This decision saved us money on lodging and transportation and we accomplished more as a group in a day than individually. We completed the survey in one week ahead of others with resources to spare.
Chevening is looking for individuals with strong networking skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your networking skills, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future.
I believe effective and efficient communication is vital to successful networking. I have experienced first-hand the importance of strong communication skills, both written and verbal, in my career and personal development.
Trying to get my company's pharmaceutical products prescribed and sold at the Federal Medical Centre or FMC, Asaba, Delta state's most advanced medical facility, required high level networking, especially when there are more than 50 pharmaceutical companies with identical products fighting for prominence. Despite being a quiet person, I was able to demonstrate strong verbal and persuasive skills to succeed as a Sales Representative. For example; I regularly liaised with the Medical Director and Chief Pharmacist on weekly basis to keep my brand names in their subconscious, I steadily got my products on prescription forms by privately networking with medical consultants and pharmacists in the various hospital departments, and delivered sales pitches in consultancy rooms and pharmaceutical departments. I gave out company souvenirs to hospital staff to ensure that the products I was trying to sell met the target groups. My strength in communication and persistence directly contributed to my ability to build and maintain my products in FMC, regularly meet sales target and increased sales. I made lots of professional friends, some of who I still contact today, as a sales rep.
As a Scientific Officer under the Environmental Management Department, the confidence placed in me by my State Coordinator in selecting me for official duties, time after time, is my excellent use of both written (in report writing) and strong verbal communication skills, coupled with my strong diplomatic character. As an Environmental Management Staff who constantly liaises with the Delta state ministry of Environment and the Government House, I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with the Chief of Staff to the Governor, state Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, Directors, and Protocol Officers and so on. Because of bureaucracy in the civil service, getting important information doesn't come easy and this is where diplomacy gets the job done. I recall one time when my ministry wanted to carry out an emergency flood management program in Delta state, I was sent to the state's Ministry of Environment to get data on flooded and flood-prone communities. The letter from my ministry came late, leaving just 3 days to the deadline. This didn't go down well with the Permanent Secretary who wanted 2 weeks of bureaucratic process. However, my calm disposition, diplomacy and knowledge of environmental matters ensured that I got the information in 3 days and became acquainted with the Permanent Secretary.
Although not an extrovert, Social networking ranks among my top networking skills. This is because my experience as an online affiliate marketer, Content Writer and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tool skills enables me to pass on educative information across internet. I own educative two blogs on Blogger.com and two informative pages on Facebook.com where I use my writing skills to educate and bring positive change on Anti-cancer foods and Household carcinogens.
Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future.
*Please do not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form (minimum word count: 50 words, maximum word count: 500 words)
Choosing Environmental Engineering as my course of study is to find lasting solutions to the challenges faced in the environmental industry in Delta state in particular, and Nigeria at large. As a Scientific Officer under the Environmental Management Department, my personal and professional goal of creating sustainable environmental management systems in the areas of solid waste management, bioenergy from organic wastes, flood management, and remediation of contaminated or polluted lands motivates me to study Environmental Engineering.
A UNDP report estimates that 3 million barrels of oil was spilled that between 1976 and 2001 in the Niger Delta region, 70% of which was not recovered, and with 6% spilled on land. Research studies implicate Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), radioactive materials and trace metals in contaminated soil, groundwater and food crops. This has have reduced soil fertility, smothered economic trees and food crops, killing them off or reducing their yield. This has caused a 60% reduction in household food security. The food insecurity and deterioration of the quality of the staple food (due to contaminated land) led to a 24% increase in the prevalence of childhood malnutrition. My interest in Environmental Engineering lies in investigating and identifying the various remediation processes. The aim of which is to identify chemicals implicated in crude oil pollution as well as the selection of the best remediation options.
Solid waste management has always been a headache for government of all levels. The lack of public education, enforcing existing laws, methods used in waste collection and disposal all contribute to the problem. Studying Environment Engineering presents the opportunity to learn the current techniques in solid waste management; waste segregation and collection, point and non-point source waste management, landfill technology and management.
The challenge being faced here is not the generation of organic waste (As research has shown that developing countries produces up to 50% organic waste) but the lack of policies and technologies for the recovery of energy from organic waste in landfills and sewage pits. Organic waste has immense potential for green energy because the fermentation of this waste results in biogas (like methane) that can be converted to heat or electricity. I intend to learn the environmental skills required to investigate and analyze bioenergy systems so as to be able to develop innovative solutions to organic waste management and biofuels. The aim of which is to utilize this skill in reducing greenhouse gas and providing alternative energy sources.
Road constructions in regions with high rainfalls require that a flood management system be put in place to avoid erosion. The lack of this is the reason for many bad roads in Nigeria. I believe studying this course will equip me with advanced knowledge in the area of developing and incorporating flood management systems in road construction.
I chose the University of Leeds, Cranfield University and the Imperial College because these schools offer coursework in my key areas of interest and rank top among the universities in the United Kingdom and the World in environmental science.
