Oluwagbotemi Esther Olabode's Personal Statement

College 101, our high school senior program, is proud to share some of our outstanding students' college application essays with you.

I was born in Nigeria, a country in the western part of Africa. My motherland contained beautiful cities, trumpeting elephants, shrieking birds, and a tropical mountain forest. My family and I moved to America in early March 2018. I was sad to leave my school and culture in Nigeria. Moving to America was the biggest turning point in my life. Everything was new and I had to adjust, learning a new language and getting used to new customs. There were differences in the educational system, friends, culture, and languages. At the same time, moving here was a big achievement for my family and for me. I was able to see that a bright future lay ahead. Lagos suffers from corruption and a lack of educational facilities, qualified teachers, and technology infrastructure. I had heard America spoken about as the land of opportunities. It wasn’t until my family came to America that I could imagine I would have the opportunity to study at a university.

America felt like a new world to me. I was fearful and nervous leading up to my first day of 6th grade at my new American school.  But, I moved to America for better education and so I had to give it my best try. On my first day of school, I walked around unsteadily, like a lost baby. I roamed around the school, in a foreign atmosphere. But I overcame the challenges I faced as a newcomer coming to my new school, like social anxiety, and low-self esteem. The teachers treated me like their own daughter. I was in shock because I never failed a class—in fact, I earned good grades. I didn’t know I would overcome my fear of failure and make new friends. Coming to America and leaving everything behind, studying for long hours, and learning a new language is the biggest factor in my success as a student today. All my efforts helped me start a new life in an unfamiliar country.   

Another thing that helped me acclimate to my new life here was my church. They have given me a sense of belonging, they have friendly staff and greeters.  I have been blessed that through my many faults and failures, my church still looks at me with eyes of love and forgiveness. I love my church because I feel safe, loved, and respected there. I have had the opportunity to volunteer with my church and serve my community. Through volunteering for Downtown Rescue Mission and our youth group Summer Camp I’ve been able to learn about the issues that face people in my new home. God has changed my life through The Redeemed Christian Church of God by helping my walk with Christ grow from the very start. 

At school and in my volunteer work, I have tried to go beyond fitting in to become a leader. As a member of the JROTC program for the last two years, I have gained military skills and respect for my peers. Leading the drill team has helped me develop leadership skills as we learned new routines that we perform at football games. At Samford, I hope to be in the Air Force ROTC. I am specifically interested in a career as an Air Force nurse Your excellent nursing program along with the opportunity to be in the ROTC will be a foundation for my future career.  

I appreciate how welcoming ________ University is to international students. I would love to meet students from other cultures who are experiencing an international move as I did. I believe that ________ University will help me flourish and develop the skills and mindset that I will need for a career in international nursing through the military.  As the second born in a family of five, I help my siblings prepare and pack the things they need for their school day. My character revolves around being an open, orderly-minded person who leads from the front. 

I believe _______ University will find me a valuable student. My love of learning has prepared me to realize my greatest potential in school and I believe that my excitement about and enjoyment of learning will help me succeed in college and the workplace. As I advance in my career, I look forward to taking on innovative projects, building expertise, and branching into new areas of interest. I plan on growing at _______ University by thinking boldly and acting decisively with discipline and great care, as I set goals for my future growth. I believe that _________ will offer me an excellent nursing program, a community of faith, opportunities for service, and an ROTC program.