A determined and brilliant Nigerian lady named Sarah Ayashim has achieved remarkable success at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), graduating with a 4.61 first-class degree in Nursing.
Her exceptional performance earned her the prestigious Best Graduating Student Award in the Department of Nursing Science for the 2023–2024 academic session.
Her achievement is not just a personal victory but a historic one. Sarah became the first-ever Christian student in her department to graduate with first-class honors
Sarah's Story and How She Did It
Sarah’s academic journey began in 2017 when she initially planned to study Human Medicine. But she was not offered admission that year which made her chose Nursing at the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Kafanchan, to stay engaged academically.
A year later, in 2018, she reapplied through JAMB and gained admission into UDUS, a decision that marked the beginning of her nursing career.
Though her mother initially wished she had pursued Medicine and worried about her schooling in the North due to security concerns, Sarah was determined to study and make her proud.
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But the journey was challenging. In her second year, she fell ill and was scheduled for surgery for a complete healing process. During the recovery process, Sarah was still active with clinicals and kept up with ward rounds and coursework.
Additionally, in her fourth year, her mother lost her job, which resulted in financial struggles. She described this period as tough as she was unable to take on part-time jobs due to the demanding nature of her course.
Despite these obstacles, Sarah remained consistent in her studies. From her 100-level GPA of 4.71 to her final year GPA of 4.61, she never fell below first-class. Recalling how she maintained her grades, Sarah said;
“I started reading early in the semester. I studied six hours a day in intervals, and I took concise notes. I observed lecturers carefully; their emphasis often revealed what exam questions would look like. Once I started strong in the 100-level, I promised myself never to drop,” she shared.
Beyond academics, Sarah’s drive also came from a deeply personal place. Growing up as a child born out of wedlock, she faced societal stigma that branded children of single mothers as “useless.” She was determined to prove otherwise.
“I wanted to show my dad that I’m not a useless child. I wanted my mom to know her sacrifices weren’t in vain. My existence is not useless,” Sarah said with conviction.
Looking ahead, Sarah want pursue a career in lecturing and research. She hopes to inspire younger professionals by showing them that Nursing is not just a hospital job but a calling to improve lives.
“I aspire to be the empathetic nurse people look forward to meeting. I also want to further my studies so I can identify the lapses in our healthcare system and contribute to its improvement,” she said.
Advising other student especially those with the same circumstances as hers, Sarah said: “Start early, don’t follow the crowd, and push beyond your limits.”
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