Earlier in March, I was elected as the one of the six delegates to represent Coventry University students at the National Union of Students (NUS) National Conferences hosted at the Sage in Newcastle Gateshead 2011. And on Tuesday 12th April I set out with other delegates for a four hour journey to Newcastle to join hundreds of other delegates from over 160 unions across Further and Higher education institutions throughout the United Kingdom. This conference is an annual conference where delegates comes together as representatives of the over 14million students across the United Kingdom, to review the students issues and make policy for the coming year while also electing the leadership of the union that will saddle the ship of the student movement for the coming year. The conference was an exciting, learning experience indeed, bringing me closer to the students’ movement, providing opportunity to meet other students’ leaders from across the UK. It also presented unique opportunity for me to contribute to debates on how best the challenges of all categories of students all over the UK can be dealt with.

I initially stood for the election as NUS delegate to represent Coventry University, primarily because I was not satisfied with the quality of representation enjoyed by the international students at national level; I was particularly inspired by the way the NUS responded to the immigration review of UK government especially as it affect international students. I felt more could have been done to voice the opinion of international students in the process leading to this review and was ever ready to make an input for future situations. I proceeded to the conference with lots of excitement and energy, ready to make a difference and make a case for issues that affects particularly international students, but unfortunately, I realized during the conference that I could do very little in that regard as the motions for policy to be debated has been initially submitted and ratified prior to the conference and since I was not aware of this prior to the conference, I can only contribute to existing motions as new motions can no longer me entertained. I was disappointed, but realized nothing could have been done than to support existing motions to the best of my knowledge and understanding, which I did.

Preparation is Key

As a first timer, I had little knowledge of how the conference works, how best to make the best use of this opportunity and make impact. I had attempted to ask at my local union if some form of preparation was necessary before the conference, but I was told to just show up on the departure date and attend the conference, and so, I was expecting something different from what I got. I do realised that to be able to make good contributions, prior knowledge or some the motions and issues to be discussed if very necessary. Also an understanding of the NUS structure and conference operational procedure is necessary. In future, for new delegates to maximize this unique opportunity, it is important that NUS collaborate with local unions to train potential delegates prior to the conference, give enough information on the expectations from the delegates.

Democracy… Elections…Manifestos…

As a lover of democracy, one of my highlight of the conference was the elections of the new officers. The manifestos presentation and election process was of great interest to me. Democracy is very important for the success of any political institution and the existence of this is very pleasant to me. From the president, the vice presidents and Block of 15 elections, listening to the candidate pitch their ideas and offerings for the students was very impressive, the quality of offering and the credentials of candidates is a proof that the students movement is the training ground for future political giants of the country. I had no choice but compare and reflects on the structure, the organisation, the sophistication of the whole conference and democratic structure with what exist back home in Nigeria in our own National Association of Nigerians Students (NANS) where you cant win a national elections without factions and violent interventions. We definitely need to do more to grow our internal democracy even at grassroots level.

Standing as a Candidate for the Democratic Procedure Committe

No doubt, my leading highlight of the conference was the opportunity to stand as one of the candidates for the five available places of the Democratic Procedure Committee, (DPC) this is the committee that ensures that democratic principles are adhered to the maximum possible in the running of the conference each year. It was very exciting to stand on the podium and give a minute pitch of why I deserve one of the five places as compared to other fifteen candidates. I did pitched the message of competence, experience and need to preserve and protect democracy especially in this difficult time when students are faced with the challenges of fee rise and increase expectation from the union. Unfortunately, I have to wait till next week for the result of the election is published to know if my pitch was good enough to win enough votes to get elected into the committee. But regardless of the outcome, it was indeed another learning experience.

click here for full speech on You Tube, I started speaking at 03:51

Getting Involved? Student Sections Opportunities

The conference had increased greatly my knowledge of NUS and the students movements as a whole, it has further affirmed my believe that getting involved in the local students unions, NUS etc is one of the ways to maximise the students experience. The NUS provides a wide range of opportunities for students to get involved and contribute to making life better for other students and at the same time enriching their own study experience. The student sections campaigns are one of the many ways to get involved and perhaps the best way for international students and postgraduate students to start getting involved. The 2011 student sections conferences will be holding in May and one of the best things to do to start getting involved is to take part in these conferences. More information on the conference is available at www.nusconnect.org.uk

Summarizing

The whole conference was an excellent learning experience for me, and I look forward to possibly a repeat and this time with more experience and deeper participation in the future. I certainly will be using the resources I have been able to get from this conference to support my work while I serve as a sabbatical officer in the coming academic year, I hope to expand on the contact and network I have built during this week to perform my role better. Certainly, there are many paths to success! It is possible

here to serve!,

Olalekan Oshunkoya
NUS delegate 2011, Coventry University Students Unions
Vice President Elect, Communication and Engagement, Coventry University Students Union

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After a succesful campaign, I got elected as the Vice Prisesident of Coventry University Students’ Union. As I look forward to this great opportunity to serve and help imprve students experience especially for my fellow international students, The news of my success at the polls was widely reported in the media both in Nigeria (my home country) and online here..  Thanks to everyone who trusted my ability to lead and deliver a better experience for all, you will not be dissappointed…..

Olalekan Oshunkoya, a Nigerian master’s student at Coventry University, United Kingdom was recently elected as the Vice President of the institution students’ union barely six months after joining the university beating three other contestants to win the election. His victory surprised many, but to the young man who has a track record of strong leadership, commitment, hard work, passion for service and excellence, this is a victory well deserved and an opportunity to further showcase his commitment to excellence.

Olalekan commenting on his motivation to run for this position said “I came to the UK committed, excited and prepared to make the very best use of my time and the opportunities I may come by. I wanted to study, live and experience life in a new dimension, and I was overwhelmed by the diversity of student population here at the Coventry University, but surprisingly, the student leadership did not reflect this diversity, so I decided to break the silence and run for the Vice President, Communications and Engagement. To most people it was a child’s play considering that I have only being here for a few months, but commitment, hard work, genuine and issue based campaign and support from the international student community proofed all nay sayers wrong and ensured success at the polls.

I am committed to use this platform to enhance the cultural, academic as well as social experience of all students, especially international students. Having identified some of the numerous avenues via which the students’ union can help enhance students’ experience for both local and international students and its my commitment to contribute to exposing this opportunities and at the same time campaign for a better experience for all. I look forward to a year of impact and improvements. I am here to serve and learn.”
This development is another proof of the potential and the relevance of Nigerian youth to lead innovative change within and outside the country. It is a testimony of the capability of the new generations of Nigerians to be the change they seek and champion worthy causes.

After completing a BA degree in Mass Communication at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Olalekan travelled to UK last September to start his master’s programme in Peace and Reconciliations after being awarded a scholarship and has since his resumption engaged with the students union in the university. He is a author, who is currently working on his third book titled “Democracy: a guide for participation for Young Nigerians” He is also the chair of the steering committee of the Association of Nigerian Students in Diaspora (ANSD) a platform that seeks to bring together Nigerian students abroad to champion local change. You will find additional information on his works and aspirations at: www.lekanoshunkoya.com.

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An Inclusive Union that represents YOU!

Experienced Passionate, Innovative…Expect Great things!

A vote for me is a Vote for diversity, new experience, strong leadership and positive changes!
Vote Olalekan Oshunkoya for VP Communications and Engagement!

A few months ago, I traveled thousands of miles over the Atlantic to Coventry University to step up my career by studying for a Masters degree with lots of excitement (Thanks to Ferguson Trust UK who granted me a study scholarship) I was very enthusiastic, highly spirited and full of great expectations. I wanted a different experience, get engaged, interact widely and experience life in a new dimension. Evidently, I share these expectations with you and many other students. So far,  life here as been fun and exciting, but I am convinced these expectations can be better delivered, even at an optimal level especially when it comes to student’s engagement in the students union and the activities of the union.

Inspired by my experiences and the certainty that I have the skills needed to deliver, I offer myself to serve you in the capacity of CUSU VP Communications and Engagement.

Why Vote for me?

I bring to the table, a basketful of experience, knowledge and understanding acquired mostly outside of this campus but fine-tuned and polished by the shared values and mutual experiences offered us by Coventry University.

Service is my passion. Experience, my guide

I have since my arrival in Coventry engaged with the students’ union in the following ways;

• Elected senior course rep of my course bloc (International studies and social sciences PG) and this position gave me the opportunity to engage with lots of students and help collect feedback on their experiences both in course quality and other academic experiences as well as the study environment as a whole, suggesting ways to improve these experiences where necessary.
• I was equally elected to serve in the students’ union (CUSU) democracy committee where I contributed to CUSU policy and programmes on democracy and representation;
• Served as a member of the Graduate Centre Users Group Committee, a committee that reports directly to Vice Chancellor and sought to review the graduate students’ experience, seeking ways to continuously improve these experiences.

Prior to joining Coventry University, I have recorded the following related experiences.

• A graduate of mass communication with lots of experience in creative communications, media and journalism within campus and in corporate environment.
• Authored three books and have successfully published two of them, with the third one due for publication with the second quarter of 2011.
• About five years of service experience as a student leader, both as a student’s representative (parliament) and in executive capacities.
• Trained in leadership management and communication delivery.
• Over two years professional work experience in the media industry in West Africa.

WHAT I WILL OFFER!  An Inclusive Union… time to break the silence!

It is no gainsaying we all want an inclusive, supportive and engaging students’ union, where our voices count and diversity is treasured. One that offers a platform to continuously engage students in its everyday affairs and surrounding community.

I have related extensively with various Coventry students, both as individuals and as groups, I have come to know that students want to get involve in the union activities but have no reason and sometimes the opportunity to, even where such exists, their is insufficient information out there to engage them. Hence, there is an urgent need to give them a reason to do so as well as an opportunity to participate in the activities of the union- campaigns, events, etc… I will bring the students union close to the students, individualise the union, and create an opportunity for every student to contribute to the union by making quality information available rapidly, easily and constantly.

Achieving this is no rocket science, but a task requiring commitment, experience and understanding of all stakeholder needs and a determination to brave the odds. With your vote, this is the union I want to help deliver.

The Source (radio, newspaper and online) Reengineered to deliver!

I have seen students do many things with the Source newspaper, from using it as an umbrella, to using it a napkin, or even throw it in the bin. I have seen hundreds of copies of the newspaper lie down in the docket in the library and other deposits around the campus with no one picking them up to read. One wonders why? Because often, the newspaper does not provide adequate motivation to read it. I <span>WILL</span> give you a reason to pick up the newspaper, read it and even keep your copies for references. I will improve the quality of the paper both in terms of content and quality. I will bring to this job my numerous years of experience of successfully managing campus newspapers and the subsequent years of professional engagement in the media industry. Also, the potential of the source radio as a platform to share cultural values has been ignored. I will offer individual student and societies the opportunity to create their own shows on source radio, promote cultural exchanges and values. It’s your station; you will be able to use to express and share your culture.

Empowered for success! A whole new CUSU website

Information is power, it’s very important to stay informed of all opportunities both within and outside the union. The students’ union website is a strategic and important medium through which the union interact and engage with the students, the potential for this tool has not been maximized. I will deliver a whole new CUSU website, remodel and redesign the website to be interactive, easily navigable, faster and stylish website, one that we all will be proud of.

By so doing, making information easy to find and the site exciting to visit. I will also ensure deep social media integration to further increase our collective capacity to network amongst ourselves whilst not compromising our capabilities to network with our friends on the wider World Wide Web. This will improve the entire social experience of students at Coventry University.

Diversity- a treasure that must me explored and unveiled!

Coventry University is such a rich community, the strength and the potential creative power of synergized students’ population can be maximised by the students’ union.

I will create a communication strategy that will engage a mass participation of students in the union’s activities, especially international students and postgraduate students.

I will use existing tools such as the OneWorld week and other exciting new programmes to engage diverse groups of the student community, and thus enhance every student’s experience.

There are many paths to Success!

A vote for me is a Vote, for diversity, new experiences, strong leadership, competence and positive changes!
Vote Innovation!  Vote Experience!!  Vote Passion!

Vote Olalekan Oshunkoya for VP Communications and Engagement!

It is possible!  Voting starts march 8th -19th 2011 at www.cusu.org/vote

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This artcile is part of the “Maximizing your UK study Experience” Guide for International students series

A few months ago, I came to the UK with lots of excitement, to step up my career by studying for a Masters degree. Like every other international student, I was enthusiastic, high spirited and fired up to make the most use of this rare opportunity. Primarily, two things contributed to my decision to come to UK for further study – my offer of a scholarship which helped reduced greatly the financial burden associated with such a venture (thanks to Ferguson Trust UK) and the much acclaimed benefits of a UK degree (international, world class quality) especially for a Nigerian like me, where the local higher education system is degenerating daily.

As discussed in my book “Now that you are a graduate: all you need to know about graduate opportunities” further education is one of the three career pathways a graduate can follow after the first degree and more and more graduates are following this path because of the increase in unemployment and the need to have advance skills and knowledge to be better positioned for optimal career prospects. In this article, I seek to explore the reality that further degree in it self is not wrong but the approach being taking by many international students makes this option a mere academic experience rather than a career development endeavour. I recognized that the little value attached to a Nigerian first degree is making lots of people invest in further studies abroad by pursuing a postgraduate degree, but this is not enough.

Certainly, my experiences in the last few months in UK contributed largely to this conclusion. To start with, when I came to UK last September, I was shocked by the number of Nigerians currently studying for a degree in my institution (foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate), meanwhile this is also a reflection of the number enrolled in the whole UK as a whole. I do not know the exact number but I can sure speculate that Nigerians are the 3rd largest international student community in UK. And so I engaged in a little informal research by observing the experiences of my fellow international students including recent graduates. I was shocked a few months later by my observations.

The focal point of my observation was the career prospects of the huge number of international students after their top-level education here in UK. While some graduate go back to their country of origin after their studies, a great deal of them stay back in UK with hope of getting a graduate job and (or) job experience especially with the introduction of Post Study Work visas which allows international students stay for up to 2 years in UK after their studies. I was surprised to see and hear stories of people working in warehouses, grocery stores, super markets etc as temporary workers after a master degree, living on minimum wage just to make ends meet after getting their PSW visas. Is that not absurd? To the best of my knowledge, the PSW was introduced to help International students gather some work experiences in the UK after their studies to help enhance their career opportunities when they return to their home countries. Tell me which experiences are there to get as a temporary worker in a warehouse or as a cleaner after a masters degree? You will be shocked at the number of people that do this to survive life here? So when you get a masters degree and end up working in a warehouse, are you adding value or devaluing your education?

So what’s the problem you may ask? I am a student here in the UK and I can certainly say the problem is not with the institutions or the courses but with the students. I am aware most courses are structured to prepare and empower students for professional life, most universities offer very interesting support programmes that are intended to help step up students academic experiences with other essential skills for life success after school but so many international students do not make use of this facilities while studying. For example, my university runs an excellent programme called Global Leaders Programme (GLP) for postgraduate students, this programme is specifically designed for postgraduates students (mainly international students) to help increase their skills in essential areas of their career and empower them to be ready to work in a global business environment. This is an excellent programme that presents a unique opportunity to increase participants’ employability and readiness for life. As useful as this initiative is to help add value to employability and career prospects of students, you will be surprised at the number of students that sign up for this programme, not as much as I expected. A number of students I interviewed gave the excuse of busy workload as reason for not participating. To me, this is not acceptable because the programme was very flexible with most courses running outside the normal academic hours.

Then what’s wrong…?

I observed that most international students focus all of their efforts on their academic pursuit and ignore other opportunities that are available around them. Your international study is an experience. A collection of varieties of activities and events (academic, cultural, extra curricula, social etc) that will form a bank potential that will give you an advantage(s) over other people who may be equally qualified academically when you seek employment after your studies. Employers are no longer interested in your academic excellence alone; they are equally interested in other areas of your experiences as they are in your academic potential. In some cases your extra curricular engagement profile is even more important that your academic excellence. Where does this bring us? This brings us to the central reason for this article; to share ways you can acquire that extra potential and improve your competitiveness as you advance your career. This brings us to Personal Development Planning.

What is PDP? Personal Development Planning is very essential to successful skills development and career planning especially as a student. Learning is not only done in the classroom or during the informal academic experiences alone. There are varieties of ways to add value to yourself in daily life and these learning forms the pathway of your resources bank for career advancement. So attempt must be made to structure your learning both formal and informal towards a particular goal, this will help you strategically plan your engagements throughout your studies and maximize your international study experience bring the best return on investment.

Personal development planning or PDP means creating opportunities to think through, in a structured way, questions such as: What do I really want to achieve from life? What kind of person do I want to be? Am I clear about my personal goals and ambitions? Am I making the right decisions to get me where I really want to be? Am I in charge of my life and my studies – or am I just hoping it all will work out somehow? When you successfully answer these questions, then you will be able to plan your engagement profile to empower and increase your resource and skills bank in readiness for life after school. Your answer to above questions will help you plan and direct your learning towards the direction that best bring the best result. Improving your engagement profile is very essential in preparing for life and creating opportunities for personal career fulfillment. Self-evaluation will help you know which direction and line of interest to follow especially in implementing your PDP. It has been recognized that students need structured opportunities to think about, and plan towards, their future. The exact content really depends on you. How much of your time do you want to give now to planning your future? It is one thing is to know where you want to go; it’s another to know how to get there.

Increasing your Engagement Profile, here are some tips.

i. Get informed

Information is golden in this age. What you don’t know, you don’t know and what you do know, you do know. Take time out to seek information and follow every lead to get information in your field of interest. This will expose you to new opportunities and expand your possibilities. Use the Internet to your advantage here, search for information constantly and update yourself. Read the notice board for any announcement that may be related to your interest, be vigilant. You will need this to be on top your game.

ii. Use available resources and support in your institution

Most UK institution provides support services specifically designed for a special group of students, e.g. international, postgraduate etc. These programmes are designed for you to take advantage of and use to plan your career and personal development. Use them. e.g. career services, international mobility, internship, social experiences, and related support services. In most of these programmes, you will be supported and advised by experts who can guide you through necessary steps to achieve certain goals. Examples of goals you can achieve using some of this services include getting a UK or oversea work experience, internship and placement opportunities, support with planning your career, making applications and writing CVs, guide for interviews, planning further studies etc.

iii. Build on your Tutors’ network and experiences

Take advantage of your tutor’s experiences and network. Share your plans with them and ask them for support. I am sure you will get more support than you will ever anticipate provided you approach this the right way. From experience, tutors are generally excited about students who are ambitious and who has a clear career goals and seek their support in achieving it, they provide a value added advantage, share their network of friends, colleagues and associates who may help where necessary, they can equally share available resources and opportunities with you.

iv. Get involved in other activities and Explore and Expand all options

Every experience is important, remember you are building an engagement profile and resource bank that will make you exceptional. So make sure you get involved in as many activities as possible. Socialize and attend events around campus, faculty seminars, Students Union events and other events around campus that may interest you. If possible, join a society in your students union. But be careful you don’t distract yourself from your academic pursuit. Learn to multitask and develop good time management skills. Always remember there are many paths to success, so you never can tell what can happen in every meeting you attend or with every person you meet. Just have a positive outlook on every event and see the good side of every situation.

v. Attend Conferences, Summer/ Winter School and related professional trainings

Academic conferences and trainings provide additional opportunities to network and meet new people in your field with whom you can make lasting relationships. You can equally assess resources and materials that may not necessary be available except you attend such events. Research relevant conferences and trainings, to participate, and if you can, attempt to make some contributions in these events. Some of these may require that you pay to participate, this is another great investment, in some other cases you can even get scholarship and grants to ease your participation, everything balls down to information.

In conclusion

Personally, I benefitted from all the above tips to raise my engagement profile as a student and still hope to do more. I have participated in about four top-level conferences and trainings in and outside the UK in the last five months of my study. I also engaged in with my university’s students union, serving as a senior course representative, member of the democracy committee, joined three societies where I have met diverse students and formed alliances for future collaborations and networking etc I am confident about what to do next after my studies and my readiness to make the best use of this experience, even half way through my course. So, I am a witness that this tips works.

I am aware you have made a great investment in your life when you come for an international degree. And so your international study experience is one of the best decisions you can ever make especially when you do so in a country like UK where there are many associated opportunities to tap from along with your studies. But conscious effort must be made to plan and structure these learning experiences for optimal career benefit, especially in creating a profound engagement profile. Be aware, that your academic excellence is just of several things potential employers look at when recruiting and so you must engage in extra curricular activities to enhance your study experience and improve your career prospects. Otherwise, you might be forced to join the group of masters’ degree holders working in supermarket, just to survive.

It is possible. See you at the top!

Lekan Oshunkoya

Student MA Peace and Reconciliation Studies, Coventry University, UK        Chair, Coordinating Committee, Association of Nigerian Students in Diaspora (ANSD-UK)

14th February 2011

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I Think. I dream. I achieve.

I am a creative, enthusiastic, ambitious and passionate young Nigerian with an unusual passion to make the world a better place.  I am an advocate of youth empowerment and an agent for youth re-orientation. Driven by innovation, persistence, service and excellence; I seek to make a difference and join other passionate young people locally and internationally, in their resolve to make the world a better place.

As a youth I believe the future of the world I live is in my hands. Armed with integrity, innovation, hard work, and the pursuit of excellence, I choose to be a catalyst for change in my community. Help mobilize, empower, challenge and inspire youths to push boundaries, break barriers, create opportunities and prepare them to become agents of change and development. I seek to passionately channel my skills to the advancement of a better world.

I have huge interest in youth empowerment and leadership development, democracy, peace and development, advertising, business, leadership, and ICT. I believe radical ideas are not bad idea. I am a believer in the New Nigeria Project. A Nigeria we can all be proud of. I do not believe in impossibility. I am confident in whom I am and in the passion I pursue.

My desire to challenge young people to wake up and take their place, champion new courses and build their communities, dream big dreams and change the world birthed the Youth Alliance for Peace and Development Action (YAPDA), a not for profit organization, this gives me a platform to work with and empower young people and advocate for their involvement in development process.

I have served in various leadership capacities and received several awards as testimony to his various involvements in youth initiatives.

Am inspired by great leaders like Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Bishop TD Jakes, David Ogilvy and our own Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Armed with talent, skill, hard work and a resolute mind, I am ready to take on a world that changes at the speed of light.

Detailed Curriculum Vitae here.

no comments - Coventry University Students Union + lekan oshunkoya + Nigeria Studnets in the UK + olalekan oshunkoya + Students Association of Nigerians iun Diaspora (SAND) + Young Nigerians in Diaspora + Youth Alliance for Peace and Development Action (YAPDA)

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