Now That You Have a PhD (II)!
A week ago, I began this series inspired by the flood of congratulatory messages received by those completing their PhD studies. In the first part, I explored the skills naturally developed through PhD training and shared the impactful story of Dr. Mahmoud Bukar Maina, highlighting his contributions to his home state of Yobe and to the nation at large. I promised to provide another case study before concluding the series with practical ways newly minted PhDs can make a difference beyond academia. However, the feedback I received prompted me to expand the series to include more case studies, aiming to thoroughly address the question we initially posed: How can PhD holders extend their influence beyond the confines of academia?
Today, let me introduce our second case study, as we seek to answer: Who is this individual? Why are they featured? What are they doing differently that we can learn from, especially considering the positive impact they’re making?
Case Study 2: Michael Taiwo
I first came across Michael Taiwo through a post by Dr. Adamu Tilde, who was sharing Taiwo’s “No Gree for Your Achievements” article series. Intrigued, I began following his activities and was quickly impressed by the impact he is making.
Michael Taiwo (MT) is a Nigerian social entrepreneur working with Shell USA. On a personal level, he founded the Michael Taiwo Scholarship, with a mission to “financially assist and provide mentoring for motivated and bright students from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue world-class graduate education.” This initiative was born from his personal experience as someone who struggled to afford standardized tests and application fees to study in the USA.
Taiwo’s motivation is deeply rooted in his belief that helping people pursue education in North American universities can significantly impact their futures, opening doors to gainful employment. As he puts it, “Immigrants with advanced degrees end up with well-paying jobs, and the money they send home helps push back the dark clouds of poverty, propping up local economies. Without this steady injection of funds, tensions are more likely to flare, leading to more chaos in societies already teetering on the edge. What’s more, immigrants who return home after a graduate education are in prime positions to lead academia, industry, and government, shaping policies that will help eradicate poverty.”
To bring this vision to life, Taiwo initiated the MT Scholarship in 2019, providing financial support for standardized achievement tests like the GRE, GMAT, and IELTS. The scholarship also covers school application fees and other necessary costs for securing fully funded graduate positions in North American universities and beyond. Moreover, the scheme offers mentorship, guiding recipients through the graduate school application process.
Since its inception, the MT Scholarship has awarded 171 scholarships to individuals not only from Nigeria but also from countries like Ghana, Kenya, India, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Eswatini, and Pakistan. The scholarship’s reach has grown impressively; what started with about 1000 applicants from Nigeria now attracts applications from over 50 countries, totaling more than 30,720 submissions since 2019.
What truly sets Michael Taiwo apart is that he’s not a local government chairman, an elected official, or even a governor. He could have easily focused on building his career and raising his children to follow in his footsteps, all while lamenting his country’s shortcomings. But instead, he chose a different path — one of purpose and impact. Leveraging his knowledge, experience, skills, and network, combined with a spark of initiative, Taiwo has become a hero not just to his nation, but to the world.
This story is a powerful reminder that you don’t need to be a billionaire or a multinational corporation to make a difference. With the skills you’ve honed during your PhD, you too can follow in MT’s footsteps.
See you next week for the third episode!
