In this episode, we discuss joining a graduate program with limited professional experience and how friendships and community make the journey easier. Our guest today is Esomchi Agalamanyi, who studied Economics at the University of Nigeria and earned a master’s in Education, Public Policy & Equity at the University of Glasgow. His professional journey has taken him from the UN office in New York to the UNICEF office in Bangkok, and currently, he is at UNICEF Geneva, where he has b...

Dana is a labor market economist whose work in the MENA region spans workforce development, gender reforms, and the future of work. Growing up, Dana's interests ranged from science and sports to languages, but never policy. She eventually studied Government and International Politics at George Mason University, with minors in Middle Eastern Studies and Economics. In this episode, Dana takes us through her grad school journey ir international policy development and reflects on what it really m...

It’s not really about grad school this time, it’s a bit of everything. In this episode, Ebele and Ebuka reflect on the thought behind Grad School Buddy: to share stories from people of all walks of life who have taken different paths to and through grad school. From those who moved countries to study, to people who took out loans, self-funded or received scholarships, and folks who chose not to pursue grad school at all. The goal is to make sure everyone finds a story they can connect with. T...

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...

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...

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 man...

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. Bu...

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...

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 fr...

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 ...

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 h...

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 proce...

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, i...

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 cu...

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 di...

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 cak...

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 on...

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 an...

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 Schoo...

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 Fel...