Harvard. Yale. Stanford. Princeton. MIT. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. No doubt you've heard of these universities. These universities are world-class higher learning institutions in the United States. Three of them - Yale, Princeton, and Harvard - are Ivy League schools. The other three, though not Ivy League schools, are very prestigious and selective as well. This is the reason why Ketandu Deborah Adaeze Chiedu's feat of getting into all six of them, with full scholarship rides on each of them, is such an incredible feat.
Taking to Facebook, an elated Joy Nnenne, Ketandu's mother, wrote, "With deepest pride and gratitude, I'm pleased to announce that my daughter, Ketandu Deborah Adaeze Chiedu, has been accepted into Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign all on FULL RIDE scholarships. After many many years of hard work, sleepless nights and uttermost dedication to her course, we witness a day like this."
Joy goes ahead to reveal that she fled Nigeria in 2007. "...I fled Nigeria with Ketandu and her little sister, leaving behind a failed marriage and a few broken dreams. I wasn't sure what laid ahead, but there was never a time I doubted my capability to rise from the ashes of my failure. The burning desire to make a life for my two little girls kept me plotting, strategizing and constantly seeking opportunities. Through the years, I suffered several setbacks but I have also enjoyed many many blessings," she goes on to say.
No doubt it has been a very long journey for Ketandu, her mother, and her sister as well. The family expressed gratitude to both God and the United States, as well as those who helped them along the way; stating that "dreams come alive if you are willing to work hard and favour is on your side".
The African Exponent team would like to congratulate Ketandu and wish her all the best on the journey that lies ahead.
Header Image Credit: Joy Nnenne