I am Ashibuogwu Adaeze Elizabeth, a graduate of the Department of Economics in the Faculty of Social Sciences. My journey through LASU went far beyond my expectations, I thought I'd just be a regular classroom-to-hostel kind of student, but I ended up in leadership, joined student organisations, attended conferences, volunteered, and grew in my faith. I entered expecting a degree, and left with experiences, relationships, and a much clearer understanding of who I want to become.
Graduating with First Class Honours in Economics is what I'm proudest of, achieved not by my strength alone but through God's grace and mercy. Alongside my degree, I pursued my ICAN qualification, was inducted as an Associate Accounting Technician in July 2025, and became an Associate Member of the Nigerian Economic Society in July 2026. I served as Deputy Team Lead and Organiser for TEDxLASU 2024, was selected as a United Nations Millennium Fellow for the Class of 2024 out of over 52,000 applicants, and volunteered across the National Conference on Agenda 2030, LASU Debate Society, and multiple economics and finance conferences.
Balancing academics with ICAN classes, church commitments, and extracurricular activities was my biggest challenge, which I managed through intentional prioritisation and structured, time-blocked scheduling. There's always more beyond my current level, a lesson LASU taught me to keep growing and never become too comfortable with where I am. I received a Letter of Commendation from the Directorate of SDGs, LASU, and was recognised as one of the Top 5 most diligent students in my department.
My parents and my Deeper Life Campus Fellowship community have been my biggest sources of inspiration, my parents through their sacrifices and resilience, and the fellowship through spiritual growth and encouragement.
My advice to current and incoming students is to do LASU with God, have a fellowship or faith community, have a clear CGPA goal from 100 level, and beyond academics, be open to volunteering and taking on leadership opportunities. As Romans 9:16 reminds me: it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.