Ed Gold Scholarship as Might Be Expected

Ed Gold Scholarship

As might be expected of the eldest child of two Nigerian immigrants, I possess an abiding entrepreneurial spirit and drive to succeed. I joined the New York Investment Banking Consulting team at FactSet Research Systems in September 2001 and was quickly promoted to Senior Consultant and Account Executive. I simultaneously enrolled in an evening statistics classes at NYU and joined Weichert Realtors as a real estate agent. These varied commitments forced me to learn how to multitask and set priorities. I fell in love with real estate and enrolled in the graduate program at Cornell.

The real estate program brought opportunities to travel to and study emerging real estate markets in Nigeria and China. During this time, I earned the title of second runner-up in the Miss Nigeria in America Beauty Pageant. I used my platform to raise awareness about Nigerian issues in America. In 2008, I also earned the title of first runner-up on The Apprentice: Africa. As part of my work on The Apprentice, I made a promotional tour through Sub-Saharan and South Africa and met successful African entrepreneurs.

Inspired by the people I met on my travels, I founded O&M Media Ltd. To create new television program, Africa's Top 100 Entrepreneurs. I then worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria and became one of five inaugural members of the village of Ere's first microfinance bank. I sat on the bank's Board of Directors and was head of the Chair of the Audit committee from 2009-2011. I am extremely proud of the successful launch of eight bank projects, including a waterworks project, complete with a pipeline network and faucets for the whole village and an energy center.

My experiences abroad brought tremendous professional and personal growth, as well as another surprise discovery: my passion for writing as a means of stimulating change. After working as a contributor to Applause Africa Magazine, I feel ready to begin a new career in journalism with a focus on bringing about change in the developing world.

Walter H. Diamond and Dorothy B. Diamond International Business Journalism Fellowship

My interest in journalism stems from my desire to share the rich cultural experiences I have had in Africa. After my appearance on The Apprentice: Africa, I met entrepreneurs, designers, writers, and politicians while on my tour across Sub-Saharan and South Africa. Their stories inspired me to create a venue to share their tales. I launched O&M Media and produced a new Pan-African television series, called Africa's Top 100 Entrepreneurs. In preparation for the show, I co-wrote the treatment and production bible, conducted detailed interviews, and contributed stories about the entrepreneurs to the local media to attract sponsors. Despite the grueling work of launching a company and starting a show from scratch, it was immensely gratifying to bring previously unrecognized experiences to the public's attention.