Here is my CHEVENING Essay on Networking Skills. I need help to confirm that it is good to go
Chevening is looking for individuals with strong networking skills, who will engage with the Chevening community ...
Experience has taught me that networking is an art which mastery requires self-confidence and linguistic aptitude, in addition to diplomatic abilities. Engaging with friends, colleagues, professors, and the world outside academic setting has always come naturally to me. Hence, I consider my election as the president of departmental students' association in 2014 as the major accomplishment of my networking and interpersonal relationship skills.
While in active service as the president, I organized an academic excursion to International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan. The expedition not only offered participants the opportunity to meet and interact with professionals and adroit researchers in the discipline, but also established a prospect for collaborative research between IITA and the University of Benin. Meanwhile, my proposition for the trip met with strong opposition and almost outright rejection due to lack of funding. That was the first setback. The second hindrance was the odds in securing the university's sixty-passenger capacity bus, which, at the time, was inaccessible to students. Under those circumstances, I realized that onus was on me to make prompt decisions so as to substantiate my plans for the trip regardless of challenges.
At the outset, I engaged with few members who believed in the impact and possible success of the journey and delegated in-house responsibilities to them, while I masterminded engagements that involved external bodies including making contact with the management of IITA. I led the team that visited the director of Genetic Resources Centre at IITA. Through the outing, I had the privilege to network with Dr Michael Abberton, the director, and procured an approval letter for the excursion on IITA's letter-headed paper. Consequently, I met Professor Abiodun Falodun, the Vice Chancellor Academics, and discussed the benefits of the excursion and the challenges facing its success. He applauded my courage in securing a written approval for an academic expedition in one of the best research institutes in the world. Ultimately, through him, I not only received approval to use the university's bus, but also got some financial support. In the light of the progress I made hitherto, I convened a departmental association's meeting during which I gave detailed up-to-date information as regards the excursion. Before I ended my speech, ninety-five percent of those who initially refuted the idea changed their minds. In the long run, the excursion took place on 5th June, 2014 and was more impactful than I expected.
I have plans to expand Chevening Alumni Network in Nigeria. I intend to employ my networking skills in spurring local organisations in Nigeria to partner with Chevening to sponsor more Nigerians to study in the UK annually. Presently, Nigerian scholars make up 2.5% of Cheveners worldwide who commenced their studies in September 2016. I am confident in my aptitude to increase the proportion to 10% by 2030. I hope to achieve this feat through Corporate Community Development Service Scheme. Ultimately, being a Chevener will endow me with personal testimony about opportunities in Chevening's network and help make my vision a reality.
Chevening is looking for individuals with strong networking skills, who will engage with the Chevening community ...
Experience has taught me that networking is an art which mastery requires self-confidence and linguistic aptitude, in addition to diplomatic abilities. Engaging with friends, colleagues, professors, and the world outside academic setting has always come naturally to me. Hence, I consider my election as the president of departmental students' association in 2014 as the major accomplishment of my networking and interpersonal relationship skills.
While in active service as the president, I organized an academic excursion to International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan. The expedition not only offered participants the opportunity to meet and interact with professionals and adroit researchers in the discipline, but also established a prospect for collaborative research between IITA and the University of Benin. Meanwhile, my proposition for the trip met with strong opposition and almost outright rejection due to lack of funding. That was the first setback. The second hindrance was the odds in securing the university's sixty-passenger capacity bus, which, at the time, was inaccessible to students. Under those circumstances, I realized that onus was on me to make prompt decisions so as to substantiate my plans for the trip regardless of challenges.
At the outset, I engaged with few members who believed in the impact and possible success of the journey and delegated in-house responsibilities to them, while I masterminded engagements that involved external bodies including making contact with the management of IITA. I led the team that visited the director of Genetic Resources Centre at IITA. Through the outing, I had the privilege to network with Dr Michael Abberton, the director, and procured an approval letter for the excursion on IITA's letter-headed paper. Consequently, I met Professor Abiodun Falodun, the Vice Chancellor Academics, and discussed the benefits of the excursion and the challenges facing its success. He applauded my courage in securing a written approval for an academic expedition in one of the best research institutes in the world. Ultimately, through him, I not only received approval to use the university's bus, but also got some financial support. In the light of the progress I made hitherto, I convened a departmental association's meeting during which I gave detailed up-to-date information as regards the excursion. Before I ended my speech, ninety-five percent of those who initially refuted the idea changed their minds. In the long run, the excursion took place on 5th June, 2014 and was more impactful than I expected.
I have plans to expand Chevening Alumni Network in Nigeria. I intend to employ my networking skills in spurring local organisations in Nigeria to partner with Chevening to sponsor more Nigerians to study in the UK annually. Presently, Nigerian scholars make up 2.5% of Cheveners worldwide who commenced their studies in September 2016. I am confident in my aptitude to increase the proportion to 10% by 2030. I hope to achieve this feat through Corporate Community Development Service Scheme. Ultimately, being a Chevener will endow me with personal testimony about opportunities in Chevening's network and help make my vision a reality.
