Seun and Chinemerem met at the University of East Anglia, where they are earning advanced degrees in Global Development and Finance & Economics, respectively. Their friendship and collaboration have since grown, but their journey into development and impact began long before grad school — through grassroots projects, nonprofit leadership, and bold work in public policy. Seun is the founder of The Development School Africa, an initiative focused on educating African youth about sustainable de...
Jul 19, 2025•1 hr 22 min
Meet Odinaka Akpamgbo, a Nigerian scholar who earned first class twice—first from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, then from the Nigerian Law School. He also secured admission to four top UK universities, landing three fully funded scholarships, including one to study the prestigious Bachelor of Civil Law at Oxford. In this episode, Odinaka shares how his early encounters with injustice fueled his passion for law, how he navigated Nigeria’s toughest law program, and what life is...
May 31, 2025•1 hr 12 min
You can work in tech without writing a single line of code. In this episode, we are with Barbra Okafor, a media strategist, content creator, and digital leader whose career spans TikTok, BBC, Trace, and now the Isle of Wight Council. With Master's degree in media and communications from the London School of Economics, Barbra has carved a niche at the intersection of tech and storytelling. We talk about her journey from creating documentaries at Trace to leading content strategy at BBC and managi...
May 10, 2025•56 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Some people are born teachers. At just 25, Chisom Paula Ogamba stepped into a classroom at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, as a lecturer in English and Linguistics. In this episode, she walks us through her unique journey, from a curious undergrad who loved simplifying complex topics for her peers to a sociolinguist and PhD researcher passionate about critical narrative analysis. Chisom had no plan to be a lecturer. In fact, she just wanted to finish school and move on. But during ...
Apr 26, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 3
In this episode, we connect with Chike Ivor Onyekwelu, a seasoned product designer with expertise in Figma illustration and brand identity design. Now pursuing a Master’s in Information Technology with Project Management in the UK, Chike opens up about his first few weeks as an international graduate student. He shares candid reflections on how reality compares to his expectations, the early challenges of adjusting to a new academic system, and how he’s managing to balance coursework with his cr...
Apr 05, 2025•58 min
In the first episode of Season Four, we talk with Dani, a senior external affairs officer specializing in human development, to explore the role of communication in global development. Dani shares her journey from studying history to international relations, her transformative experience at Johns Hopkins, and how storytelling shapes her work in Global Development. She highlights the power of storytelling, the importance of making information accessible, and the fulfillment that comes from missio...
Mar 15, 2025•41 min
In this episode, Dr. Ashley Ruba, founder of AfterAcademia , shares her journey from a successful career in academia to roles in UX research at companies like Meta and Arthrex. Despite her academic accomplishments, including publishing multiple papers and winning prestigious awards, she realized the traditional academic path wasn't aligned with her expectations. Dr Ruba opens up about the emotional and professional challenges she faced while leaving academia, including redefining her identity ou...
Dec 29, 2024•40 min•Season 3Ep. 14
Today’s conversation features Obinna Nwabueze, a dynamic academic and sports enthusiast whose professional journey blends the worlds of academics, football, and languages. Obinna’s passion for governance and societal issues inspired his decision to study Political Science at the University of Nigeria. At Nsukka, he held several leadership positions and won numerous football trophies for his class and faculty while maintaining a good academic performance. As an undergrad, inspired by his many mul...
Dec 14, 2024•49 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Are you considering grad school as the next step for your creative career? Then this episode is for you! We are joined by Xorlali Plange, a Ghanaian fashion and costume designer, and Ernest Nweke, a Nigerian writer and multimedia storyteller. Ernest, who is looking to apply to graduate school, moderates this session as Xorlali, a Master of Fine Arts candidate majoring in costume design at the prestigious NYU Tisch School of Arts, shares his insights about the application and acceptance process, ...
Nov 16, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Have you ever wondered what it takes to carve out a successful career in policy despite its complexities? In today's conversation with Priya Alagarraj and Ruchika Bhatia, co-founders of Policy Career Central (PCC), we discuss their experience in the public policy profession. Policy Career Central is a community-driven platform that provides valuable resources, opportunities, and practical advice for potential and current policy experts. By addressing the information gap, it aims to make the path...
Oct 12, 2024•49 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Conrad, Kosiso, and Chukwuma were classmates from the 2016 Class of the Department of Economics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Today, we bring you an engaging conversation between them as they discuss the different directions their lives and careers have taken since graduation. After earning their bachelor’s in economics, each has thrived in diverse career paths shaped by their unique interests and values. While Chuks and Kosy continue to further their careers in academia, with both curre...
Sep 21, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Have you ever wondered what it's like to attend graduate school virtually? In this episode, David Ebube walks us through his routine as he juggles a career as a strategic communications consultant and a master's in Sustainable Development at the University of Sussex. David is passionate about advancing Africa's fashion economy. Having transitioned to media and Public relations, he now channels his passion and expertise into the development and public policy sector. Some points in our discussion ...
Aug 24, 2024•28 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Many people suffer from anxiety when starting something new, especially when in the company of equally good peers. This episode features Hope Eze, a humanities PhD student at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on the literary depiction of food insecurity in Africa, particularly the possibility of achieving food sovereignty through sustainable agriculture. Hope shares her PhD story and how it has shaped her as a whole person. The journey from master’s to PhD wasn’t a piece of cake, a...
Aug 03, 2024•38 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Studying abroad can be challenging, especially when faced with language barriers. In this episode, Vincent Eke shares his remarkable journey from being a zealous undergraduate at Unilag to becoming a graduate student at Science Po in France. The key takeaway from this episode is the significance of preparing for life after undergraduate studies early on. Securing scholarships and funding can be highly competitive, and this episode emphasizes the importance of being intentional about one's goals ...
Jul 13, 2024•51 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Today, we're taking a trip down memory lane to the second half of our conversation with Dr. Allen and Dr. Lauren, the authors of PhDone and minds behind Dissertation Editors . This engaging conversation features the non-academic aspects of getting a PhD - impostor syndrome, unhealthy competition with one's classmates, work-life balance, lessons from clients who balanced their PhD with parenthood or full-time jobs, etc. Towards the end of the episode, the focus shifts to outcomes and graduate des...
Jun 01, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Are you considering a PhD and wondering if that’s your right trajectory? In this episode, Emeka Nwankwo, an associate lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and a PhD candidate in Digital Politics, sheds light on the various aspects of getting a PhD. He discusses maintaining work-life balance, finding graduate school funding, and tackling dissertation writing. Guest: Emeka Nwankwo Co-hosts: Ebelechukwu Monye and Chukwuebuka Amaji Send a message or comment to Grad School Buddy...
Apr 27, 2024•47 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Searching for graduate school scholarships is daunting. There’s the uncertainty of rejection or failure and the hope of the ultimate prize of success. That’s why we have invited Kyla Denwood, who has secured a fully-funded graduate school scholarship with the enviable opportunity of choosing between Harvard, Georgetown, and Johns Hopkins. Kyla is among the roughly four percent of applicants selected for the 2023 Payne Fellowship. In this episode, she discusses discovering the Payne Fellowship, a...
Mar 16, 2024•46 min•Season 3Ep. 4
There’s more to being a grad student than lectures and problem sets. Sometimes, an opportunity presents itself where you get to work on practical solutions to world problems. Today, the gist is with Ayanfeoluwa Akinbola, Chimwemwe Chibuye, Chidinma Uka, Eric Atiemo, and Rodrigue Birka (AKA members of Team Africa), who were named as finalists in the 9th edition of the Geneva Challenge 2022. This challenge was created for graduate students to find innovative and practical solutions to alleviate po...
Feb 17, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 3
The worry never seems to end when it comes to graduate school. Yesterday, you were overwhelmed by graduate school applications; after that, you worried about getting a study visa. Now you're here, staring at your laptop screen as you try to decipher what's in a Ph.D. dissertation anyway. If you're in this position or planning for the future, this episode is for you. We're featuring Allen and Lauren, the authors of Ph.Done, a simplified guide on acing your graduate school dissertation. In this ep...
Jan 27, 2024•40 min•Season 3Ep. 2
One day, you’re sitting in one of the best law firms in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria, living up to your dreams of contributing to cases that spark your heart. The next minute, the spark seems to start diminishing, there’s a global pandemic that literally has everyone at a standstill. Today, we are catching up with Imade Iyamu, an MBA candidate at Columbia Business School. In 2019, Imade worked as an associate at Banwo & Ighodalo Legal, a leading law firm in Lagos. Between handling the demands of be...
Jan 06, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 1
It's the perfect moment to give you a sneak peek into the inner workings and the people shaping Grad School Buddy. A team that is tirelessly working to provide everything you need to navigate graduate school. Exciting things are coming in season three; we can't wait to share them with you! So, stay tuned for the content heading your way. Click the link in my bio to experience the real essence of this season's final episode. Stay Giddy, Your Grad School Buddy. Send a message or comment to Grad Sc...
Nov 18, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Have you ever wondered if experienced software engineers should take a break from their careers to pursue a Master’s degree? Valentine Oleka, who has been in the tech industry for almost a decade, offers insights on his decision to do just that by enrolling in a Master’s program in Intelligence Systems and Robotics. His love for computers and the internet began during his childhood days in Enugu, Nigeria. He has pursued this passion by starting businesses and collaborating on projects with colle...
Jul 08, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Younger Andrea, from Caracas, Venezuela, would be proud of who today’s guest grew up to become. Hers is a story of consistency, strategy, and holding on to a childhood dream nurtured by months spent role-playing at the Model United Nations. She takes us back to high school to explore what this experience meant and how it influenced her college and grad school decisions and led to her current dream job. Our conversation simplifies strategies for navigating the world of finding globally placed, im...
May 27, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Hey guys, here’s the “Never Say it’s Too Late” to go to graduate school episode you’ve been asking for. Today, Grad School Buddy meets up with Carrie, a detective in New York who decided to go to grad school almost two decades after getting an undergrad. In this episode of the podcast, she talks about moving from New York to Washington, DC, getting a work-based scholarship to fund her education, and how a ‘leap of faith’ helped her reach her goals. Carrie has a Master of Arts in Public Managemen...
Apr 22, 2023•51 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Today’s episode sheds light on going to grad school in Nigeria. The conversation with both Nnamdi Ohachenu and Chisom Igwilo who are currently studying for a master’s degree in Economics posed a thrilling reveal of how contrasting their experience in grad school is. Nnamdi who studies at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (a public school in Nigeria) recounts his day-to-day school life structure, the challenges he faces, and how difficult it was to navigate public school lifestyle after going to private ...
Apr 01, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Have you ever wondered how to acquire the highly acclaimed Chevening scholarship? Our guest, Dr. Cyril, an Ophthalmologist and Surgeon, a Chevening scholar, provides insight in today's episode. Cyril explains in detail his motivations for applying to the scholarship and his program of choice; he cites planning, time management, and research as the core of his application process and imminent success in his pursuits. He firmly believes that while studying hard, there will always be time to have f...
Mar 11, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Today's episode takes us to the UK for a conversation on what life is like for Nigerians schooling and working in the UK. Our guests are Mobi, and Didi Nwafor-Orizu, who have both pivoted from undergrads in law to International Economics and Psychology, respectively. This episode also features advice on dealing with crazy landlords, handling job rejections, and finding one's community in the UK. Suppose you're a fan of old Nollywood movies. In that case, you might also enjoy the periodic switche...
Feb 18, 2023•1 hr 25 min•Season 2Ep. 4
In today's episode, we talk to Chinedu Nmegwah (AKA Chinez) about how he manages a 9–6, an online master's degree from Ahmadu Bello University Nigeria, and organizing Pop Culture Africa Award (PCAA), an annual award celebrating event organizers in Nigeria. As a Kings College Old Boy, one of the things he has learned is how to make lemonades out of lemons. In his cheerful demeanor, he details his admission process (including the cost of attendance), the mode of attendance, and some of his best an...
Jan 28, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Today, we connect with Diksha Ramesh, who left home (Chennai, India) to pursue a career in International Development in Washington, DC. She currently consults for the World Bank. Our conversations cut across various topics, including academia, where we consider what qualifications have brought her so far, and real-life hustle, where she shares how international students can navigate the housing market abroad. Diksha says her family and community were some of the best parts of this experience. So...
Jan 07, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 5
To celebrate our first year in these streets, we share everything we've learned on this journey and gift some cash to members of our community. To learn more, please listen to this holiday episode. We also share some extra resources that show : Some best practices that have helped us stay steady on this course towards building the Grad School Buddy ecosystem. How you can leverage your community and vice versa in providing quality content. How to prepare and recover from failing when you set out ...
Dec 30, 2022•36 min•Season 2Ep. 4
