By Ogunlana Klistivivi
Fifty-two new students have been inducted as beneficiaries of the Great Ife Alumni Association DFW
Scholarship Programme at an event the Dallas Branch, USA, organised yesterday at the Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).
The event was graced by several distinguished personalities, including the Vice-Chancellor, represented by Prof. Yomi Daramola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration); Dolapo Ajayi, President of the Great Ife Alumni Dallas Branch; Tokunbo Adejuyigbe, Scholarship Chairman of the Dallas Branch, and other notable members of the alumni body and university management.
At the ceremony, Prof. Yomi Daramola, representing the Vice-Chancellor, expressed gratitude to the Alumni Committee, Dallas Branch, for their continuous contributions to the university, particularly in supporting indigent students through the scholarship initiative. He noted that with the induction of the new beneficiaries, referred to as the ‘Dallas Scholars,’ the total number of students supported under the programme now stands at 104, though 16 of the previous beneficiaries have since graduated. He further emphasized that the scholarship is performance-based and urged recipients to focus on academics.
Mr. Tokunbo Adejuyigbe, the Scholarship Chairman, highlighted the importance of the initiative and the newly introduced cohort mentoring programme, which aims to provide holistic support for the beneficiaries. "The questions you ask reflect your thinking. It's a tough world; we want to be there for you. When you look back, we want you to see Dallas," he said.
Mr Dolapo Ajayi elaborated on the intricacies of the application process, revealing that the committee received over 1,350 applications, including submissions from students in other tertiary institutions beyond OAU. He said this underscores the alumni body's impact in fostering educational support. However, he lamented the unseriousness of some applicants, citing instances where students took selfie-style passport photographs on trees and sent inquiries about details already available on the scholarship platform. He advised future applicants to seek guidance from past beneficiaries to improve their chances of selection.
As a token of appreciation, the school management presented gifts to scholarship committee members to recognise their efforts.
Each newly inducted beneficiary will receive ₦200,000 per session throughout their academic stay, provided they maintain good academic standing. Additionally, they will be integrated into the mentorship scheme of the Dallas Scholars Cohort.
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