Loveth Onyeagubor, a young Nigerian lady who once worked as a salesgirl due to financial constraints, has graduated from the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) with a first-class degree and an impressive CGPA of 4.94 out of 5.00. She was also named the valedictorian and overall best graduating student during the university's 36th combined convocation ceremony for the 2023/2024 academic session.
From Salesgirl to Valedictorian
In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, Loveth recounted her journey from working as a salesgirl to becoming the best graduating student. After completing secondary school in 2017, she could not immediately proceed to university due to financial constraints. She spent several years working as a salesgirl while holding onto her dream of obtaining a university education. "After completing my secondary school education in 2017, I was unable to immediately further my education due to financial constraints. For several years, I worked as a salesgirl while holding firmly to my dream of obtaining a university education and building a career that would allow me to impact lives through knowledge," she said.
Lessons Learned During Hardship
Loveth explained that the difficult period taught her patience, resilience, discipline, and hope. She realized that life does not always go according to plan. "It made me realise that in this life everything will not go according to my plan. I had to learn patience and discipline. I have always wanted to go to school. I kept that in mind and forged ahead," she added.
Secrets to Academic Excellence
When asked about the secret behind her exceptional performance, the scholar revealed that consistency, faith, proper planning, and effective study habits played major roles. She discovered she learned better during the daytime and maximized those hours. She started studying early in every semester, prepared personal notes, and regularly asked questions in class and from senior colleagues. "I started studying and making my own notes early in the semester. I asked questions a lot both in class and to my senior colleagues. I always prayed for direction and the Lord answered in ways I can't explain," she said. She also credited maintaining the right associations and understanding her best study methods.
Perfect Semester CGPA
Loveth disclosed that her highest semester CGPA was a perfect 5.00 out of 5.00, further highlighting her academic excellence.
Overcoming Major Challenges
Despite her success, Loveth admitted there were challenging moments. One of the most difficult periods came when she lost her phone during her 300-level studies, which contained many course materials in PDF files. She was frustrated but grateful for the library computer room at UNIPORT. "I had a friend send the files to a computer there and I used it for studying. It required me leaving my house early in order to be the first there so I can use that particular computer. I know you will ask why not just print it, but the files were many and there was no money for those expenses," she recounted.
Encouragement to Others
Loveth encouraged young Nigerians not to lose hope regardless of their circumstances. "I will say, don't give up. Though you may be delayed, don't lose hope. Have a dream and stay consistent, you will one day look back and be amazed at how far you've come," she said.
