Chevening Scholarship mentorship program breeds success with nine awardees

Author: Emmanuel Bida | [email protected]

In collaboration with the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan (EFSS), five past recipients of the prestigious Chevening Scholarship initiated a mentorship program in 2023 to assist interested applicants in navigating the highly competitive scholarship application and interview process.

The five mentors including Gift Patrick Samuel Kamulete (2021/2022 Scholar), Jackie Bage (2023/24 Scholar), Leju Benjamin Modi Jansuk (2023/24 Scholar), Lubajo Robert Zamba Lugor (2022/23 Scholar) and Poni Rose (2022/23 Scholar) produced results that have been nothing short of extraordinary.

The mentorship program was conducted in two phases: the application phase and the interview phase. During the application phase, two mentors held Zoom sessions on the 3rd and 24th of September 2023, for over 200 prospective applicants from different countries, providing key hints and insights into the Chevening Scholarship application process.

Information Session 1: How best to apply for the Chevening Scholarship 2024/25 held on the 3rd of September 2023

Information Session 2: Chevening Application Essays Simplified 2024 held on the 24th of September 2023

One of the mentors said, "Our goal was to demystify the application process and provide personalized feedback to those who shared their essays with us."

Out of the 19 applicants who took advantage of this opportunity, five were invited for interviews, and one was selected - a testament to the effectiveness of the mentorship.

The interview phase saw 24 interviewees from nine African countries receiving guidance from the five past Chevening Scholarship recipients through a WhatsApp group and email communication. The mentors' dedication bore fruit as nine of these candidates were selected for the Scholarship, and one was put on the reserve list in South Sudan.

A successful mentee expressed their gratitude, stating, "The organization of the mentorship, detailed feedback from mentors, and their respectfulness were instrumental in my success."

Ms. Yvette Nkurunziza (a Scholar from Rwanda) said, “ The mentorship was so important. All the mock questions are the ones which actually came, and I am very thankful to have received this support from you. I was also getting some clues from other people's answers which were so helpful to me to get the scholarship. All the feedbacks were impressive! I think I can be a mentor next year as well.”

On his part, Mr. John Ngor (from South Sudan) responded, “The mentorship was absolutely helpful in a sense that it gave me the chance to listen to my responses and had to adjust accordingly where I fell short. By the time I went for the final interview, I was so ready and knew exactly what to do because of the p reps and feedback I received from the mentorship. ”

While Ms. Hinda Sahir (from Morocco) stated, “The interview mentorship provided to me was incredibly helpful in ensuring my success. Patrick offered invaluable advice and guidance throughout the process. We conducted a mock interview, during which he provided me with useful feedback that significantly improved my confidence and performance. His support was instrumental in preparing me for the actual interview, and I am grateful for his mentorship.”

However, they also suggested areas for improvement, such as increasing the number of mentors per group, providing key interview questions to candidates, arranging some physical sessions, and increasing the mentorship time and frequency of the sessions.

The mentors believe they have made a significant impact, creating lifelong networks with individuals across different countries, regardless of the outcomes of their scholarship attempts. "We have not only guided them through the application process but also fostered relationships that will last a lifetime," one mentor shared.

The mentors expressed their gratitude for the cooperation and sacrifices made to mentor applicants and candidates at the different stages of the Chevening Scholarship journey. They thanked the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan (EFSS) leadership for facilitating the sessions and look forward to further partnership with them on this mentorship process. They also thanked the new Scholars who provided constructive feedback on their mentorship.

This mentorship program has proven to be a resounding success, and its impact will undoubtedly be felt for years to come.

As one mentor aptly put it, "We are not just creating scholars; we are building a community."