AFRICA | A brilliant Nigerian lady named Tanimowo Oyindamola has achieved remarkable success, securing a full scholarship and graduate assistantship to study for a Master’s degree in Communications at Mississippi State University, in the United States.
Similar to a scholarship, a graduate assistantship is not just financial aid; it is a job opportunity that pays you while you study. Universities abroad hire graduate students as teaching, research, or administrative assistants, and in return, you get tuition waivers and monthly stipends.
Oyindamola's Story and How She Did It
Oyindamola’s higher academic journey began in 2018 when she enrolled for a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication at the University of Lagos. In a LinkedIn post, she said her undergraduate experience went from the standard four years to six, but she never gave up.
Despite the delay, she excelled, graduating in 2023 with a 4.19/5.0 CGPA (Second Class Upper), all while juggling an 8–5 job and running a flourishing business.
“It wasn’t an easy one, but memorable. I am incredibly proud of myself! I juggled an 8-5 job, a flourishing business alongside school and I graduated with good grades,” Oyindamola shared.
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After graduation, she immediately started working to gain professional experience while applying for graduate programs abroad. In December 2024, she was admitted to Mississippi State University, but without funding.
This meant paying her tuition out of pocket, which was not financially feasible for her. Determined to find a solution, Oyindamola tried other alternatives.
She started applying for on-campus jobs, sending cold emails to professors within and outside her department, and reapplying for scholarships. “By March, I was tired of the rejections. I told myself I’d just apply again next year,” she said.
Her persistence finally paid off in May 2024 when she received a response to one of her emails, inviting her for an interview.
“I had the interview and was told to expect feedback in 1–2 weeks. But just a week later, I received my FULL FUNDING LETTER with a Graduate Assistantship! I remember shouting and screaming in my room that night,” she recalled.
In August 2025, Oyindamola officially resumed at Mississippi State University as a Graduate Assistant and also to study for a master’s degree in Communications.
Since resuming, she has found herself intellectually stretched and challenged, an experience she welcomes with gratitude.
”I love this new phase, and I look forward to excelling academically, growing my personal brand with intentionality, and building meaningful connections here,” she said.
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