ZNF MENTORSHIP INITIATIVES
We provide consistent mentorship and guidance, drawing on lessons from our own experiences in the western world and awareness of the various issues faced by those in low- to medium income countries. Our breadth of exposure enable us to assist those who reach out to us to make informed decisions about their career.
The Zeribe Nwosu Foundation mentorship program aims to draw from the experience of members of ZNF Teams or anyone else to advice those who need guidance with respect to their career path. Several members of the ZNF Volunteers have a broad experience on studying or working in various parts of Nigeria and in various western countries and universities. This diverse mix of experience, when combined, make the ZNF Team members highly versatile and formidable in providing world-class guidance to those who reach out to us. We charge no fee for providing either a one-time guidance or continual mentorship. The two main media we use to facilitate our mentorship initiatives are:
- ZNF Telegram Group
- ZNF Meet a Mentor Series
ZNF Telegram Group
We believe that mentors and mentees should be within reach and should have semi-formal to rather informal but professional interactions. The ZNF Telegram Group enables us to establish such interactions, allowing those who join the group to have a direct and near immediate access to the ZNF Teams.
The main purpose of our Telegram group is to facilitate direct access to any ZNF Team member in case of questions or need for support. Such support requests range from how to format job application documents, assistance with scholarship or school application, how and where to access relevant career opportunities, mock interviews, etc. In addition, the Telegram group is the first portal on which we share internal and external learning opportunities or scholarship announcements, and we freely share guidance on how to apply for or approach such opportunities.
By sharing all educational opportunities on our platforms, regardless of the source, we are staying acutely committed to our goal of taking opportunities to the doorsteps of those who need the information. We invite anyone to feel free to send us scholarship/funding opportunities that we could share with those in our Telegram.
>2,300
>1500
>200
Members
(April 2024)
Funded MSc/PhD, scholarships, and job opportunities shared so far in an effort mainly led by Dr. Ukpai Eze
1-on-1 meetings with Dr. Zeribe Nwosu under the ZNF Meet a Mentor Series since we started this mentorship initiative
ZNF Meet a Mentor Series
We quickly realized that it is easy to suggest to someone to apply for opportunities or take a particular training but often time people still do not know where to start and therefore need further guidance. Many of the mentees we have met come from less-privileged background and often are the first or even the only one in their family to undertake undergraduate education. The impact of that lack of someone to look up to in the family or immediate surrounding must never be underestimated.
To ensure a mentorship approach that looks at specific individual’s need and circumstance, we started on January 1 2022 to run a pilot ZNF Meet a Mentor Series. Under this program, which runs only on weekends, individuals who wish to be mentored or to discuss their career plan sign up to meet with someone from the ZNF. Dr. Zeribe Nwosu leads this pilot project, which we have found to be highly sought after. We focus our discussions on how to navigate problems on the current and next career steps/plans, and we advice by drawing lessons from personal experiences at home and abroad. Participants have expressed a strong appreciation of the opportunity to meet to brainstorm their career plans and so we look forward to sustaining this Series.
At this pilot phase, registration for the ZNF Meet a Mentor Series is restricted only to those in the ZNF Telegram Group.
Our mentorship and guidance is suited for almost anyone at any level of education
Our mentorship support is for individuals at all levels of education who may need additional support or guidance to access opportunities. In the ZNF Telegram Group we have several First Class graduates as well as super-ambitious Second Class and Third Class graduates. Our group has several PhD students, PhD holders, postdoctoral fellows, lecturers and professors, and also undergraduate students from universities (in Nigeria or abroad), colleges of education or polytechnics. We recognize that everyone needs support at some point in their career, be that on how to prepare a grant, scholarship or job applications or just simply to know how life is in a country of prospective interest. We share what we know and try to connect those in need of support to anyone we know could help.
We promote networking
We have assembled a formidable ZNF Administrative and Communications Teams that have super-talented individuals with various outstanding accomplishments and career experiences across universities. We strive to take advantage of this pool of super-talents by referring mentees to Team members best positioned to give them a tailored advice. By so doing, we encourage networking and open up quality opportunities for future collaborations at no cost.
Joining the ZNF Telegram Group
We welcome anyone interested in our activities to join the ZNF Telegram Group. If you are an undergraduate student nearing your final year, a graduate, postgraduate student or even a postdoctoral research fellow, our Telegram group is a place you could access the several opportunities we share almost on daily basis. As mentioned earlier, these opportunities include scholarships, jobs, entrepreneurial programs, trainings/workshops, seminars organized by the ZNF or other institutions. We want people to see and pursue the opportunities and help to disseminate to others.
Please note that communications on the ZNF Telegram Group are strictly focused on education and career opportunities. It is not a platform for jokes or discussing political or religious views. We have zero-tolerance for personal attacks. If you understand and agree to adhere to these ordinances, then feel absolutely free to join us by scanning the bar code on the right or click here.
