Today we’d like to introduce you to Ejiroghene Mary Ukiri.
Hi Ejiroghene, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Ejiroghene Mary Ukiri and I am a first-generation Nigerian-American with an immense passion for helping others achieve their dreams and have their voices heard. This passion directly stems from the very diverse experiences that I have been fortunate to acquire from my pre-teenage years until now. I was born in New York city and moved to Nigeria at the tender age of five. I lived in Abuja, Nigeria for a total of eight years before moving back to the United States at the age of twelve. As one might expect, over the course of those years, I was able to form a deep connection and understanding of where I am from and the true importance of having a grasp of the not only the excitement, but also the tribulations, that come with being Nigerian, and in a semi-larger sense, being African. After successfully transitioning into my new life as an American teenager, I soon started to understand what it meant to be an African American woman in America. This experience is something that I proceeded to learn and struggle with as I took on my teenage years and navigated my way through high school. In an effort to share my experiences and ideas with my peers and people that might share my struggles, I wrote and published my very first article in the Lake Highlands Advocate Magazine at the age of seventeen. The article was titled, “Word from an LHHS student: How are we feeling”, and was able to capture a great amount of attention from members of my school and society. It was at this point in my life that I came to terms with my talent in writing and so I started to not only believe that I have a voice, but also that my voice resonated with a lot of people far and near from me. As a result of this article, I was offered a blogger position by the owner of a website called, “The College Pod”. She was so inspired by my article that she not only wanted me to write for her, but she was also willing to pay for my first writing certification from Texas Christian University. I was so excited for the opportunity to explore my newfound talent and to learn more as I explore it so I accepted the job. In a few months, I had written my second and third articles on the College Pod. The articles were once again dedicated towards helping my peers figure out college and navigating the finances and transitioning of it. After a while of working under the College Pod, I had strengthened my abilities in writing and had a lot more confidence in using my voice and words to help others. In the year 2021, I took a vacation to Nigeria in order to visit my parents and loved ones. During my stay, I witnessed not only the extreme excesses and shortcomings of the Nigerian government but also the massive negative effect it was having on the livelihood of Nigerians. This deeply inspired me to use my voice to speak on behalf of people that might not have the means to. Therefore, I wrote my first article outside of the United States, titled “We Are Bound to Never Forget”. This article proved to be my best work as it got multi-published in the nation’s most popular platforms such as ‘The Premium Times’, ‘Vanguard’ and ‘Head Topics”. In an expected attempt to follow the steps of leading platforms in the nation, smaller online platforms like ‘The Daily Asset’, ‘Latest Nigerian News’, ‘Newstral”, and many others, also published the article, thereby, making it available to a great amount of Nigerian readers around the nation. This outcome made me come to terms with the importance of what I need to do as a writer and a change maker.
After my return to the United States, I was certain that I wanted to do everything I possibly can to use my voice to help those that cannot do so for themselves. As a result, I founded a non-profit organization/ scholarship fund named the “Ejiro M Ukiri International Scholarship Fund”. The mission of the organization is to inspire graduating Senior Secondary School students (equivalent to high school students) to embark on their journey towards acquiring a University/ College education in Nigeria. We intend to do this by aiding their dreams and aspirations financially so as to relieve a substantial part of the burden that the cost of further education might be. Our purpose is to support the young and talented minds that inhabit the winners and applicants of our scholarship, in order to provide them with a true and meaningful chance for success in the nearest future. My aim is to provide a third-party scholarship for financially challenged students in order to not only motivate them but to give them a fair chance at education and achieving their dreams. I am currently working on raising the funds to reach this goal by organizing fundraising events, meeting the leaderships of other African- oriented clubs and organizations to discuss, and publicly speaking at churches and social events, in order to raise money and awareness for a cause that will go a long way and have an enormous impact in the life of many Nigerians.
To add to this timeline of my life, I am currently an upcoming junior at the University of North Texas at Dallas. I am a full-time accounting major with dreams of working in the finance, economics, and of course, the accounting field.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
So far, it has not been the smoothest of roads. However, the struggles and obstacles has not been anything that cannot be handled and conquered. I would say the biggest obstacle I have had to face was completing all the steps that is required to establish a non-profit, especially at my age. It was a lot of learning about forms, procedures, and documents that I have never heard about before, completing and turning in applications and figuring out how to balance all of it with my school and work schedule. Thankfully, I was able to ask for help from capable people around me so I would not have to carry the load all by myself. I also received a good amount of mentoring particularly from the pastor of my church who believed in me and my dream in its entirety.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
When it comes to what ‘work’ I do, I usually have more than one answer. As of right now, I am an Education Account Coordinator for Varsity Tutors- Dallas. I am also a college junior that is majoring in Business Accounting. Because of this, I try to stay in careers that align more with my field of study. I frequently engage in out-of-school certifications in an attempt to further broaden my knowledge of my field. As of right now, I am certified in Business Writing, as well as Basics of Accounting. Another thing I do for work would definitely be my Nonprofit organization. Because I am not only the founder of it but also the director, I have a lot of overseeing and management to do which usually involves public speaking, making educated and well-revised decisions that would benefit the organization as a whole, and actively listening to the opinion and advice of others and putting their suggestions into consideration. I am majorly known for my writing, especially in the community around me. When my articles are published by the media platforms, multiple people (people I know and people I do not know) share them on their media platforms, thereby causing for more and more people to see it. I will never forget the day that a friend of mine came to visit me after not being in contact with me over five years. After exchanging pleasantries, he said, “Are you the Mary that wrote that article about the Nigerian government? Because I got a notification on my phone this morning from the Premium Times but I was not sure if it’s the Mary that I know.” I was so shocked and grateful to have been acknowledged by someone that I did not even think would see or read it. I believe that ever since I started my non-profit this year, more people are starting to know me as a founder and not just a writer. I am beginning to get more and more associated with the organization as the word gets out to the public. I would definitely say that the thing I am most proud of is my non-profit and the hope and vision that it represents. The opportunity to positively and significantly impact people’s lives across the world without ever meeting them is truly a blessing to me. Knowing that I am also helping people and students around me to find a way and platform to genuinely give back to their society and the less privileged has definitely kept me dedicated to achieving my goals. I believe that what sets me apart from others is my unquenchable need to take action. I have always felt that there is a difference between being aware of a problem, and actually taking steps to aid or solve that problem. I try my best to do what it takes to be part of the solution, knowing fully well that it most likely would not profit me directly. The joy of helping others and alleviating just a little bit of whatever their burden might be is what has brought me this far today and fueled my dreams.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I have been fortunate enough to learn a good amount of important lessons throughout my journey so far. I believe that the biggest lesson, however, has been how important it is to ask for help. The truth is that when a person has a big idea or a huge vision that they would like to bring to fruition, they would not be able to carry it out efficiently without asking for help and advice along the way. Taking the time to seek out people to guide, encourage, and counsel me through every step of my journey so far has definitely made me believe in the actual possibility of my dreams coming to reality. It is also very important to have a solid support system. I have learned that sometimes I need others to remind me of just how capable I am to take on a lot of challenging tasks. I believe that it is not important to focus on people that you feel might not support you. What is salient is the people that do because it is their aid, advice, love, and energy, that would end up getting you to the finish line.
Pricing:
- We accept any amount in donations but here are some recommended amounts
- $20
- $50
- $100
- $500
Contact Info:
- Email: mayreeukiri@gmail.com and ejiromukiriinternational@gmail.com
- Website: https://ejirointernationalscholarshipfund.com
- Instagram: mayy.ree and ejiromukirifoundation
- Other: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/468535-nigeria-we-are-bound-to-never-forget-by-mary-ukiri.html
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