On Saturday, at the 16th commencement ceremony of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Habiba Abdullahi was announced the valedictorian (best graduating student) of the class of 2025.

Ms Abdullahi, an indigene of Adamawa State, graduated Summa Cum Laude (first class) with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.92 on a 4.0 scale. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural and Environmental Sciences with a focus on Biomedical Sciences.

Ms Abdullahi, who transferred to AUN from another university in 2022, received the Founder’s Award for Academic Excellence during the ceremony.

Though she didn’t disclose the university, Ms Abdullahi told PREMIUM TIMES that she has secured a post-graduate admission into an ‘Ivy League’ university in the US.

She said she faced challenges during her research project, which took almost two years to complete, because she had to send certain samples out of the country for analysis.

She said the low lecturer-to-student ratio and lecturers’ willingness to help at all times contributed to her success.

“The faculty-to-student ratio in this school is way better than it was in my last school. So being able to talk to faculty whenever you have a problem, and then being able to address it as quickly as possible compared to my former school and just for any faculty, they’re just honestly the best, like professors, I’ve ever met and they played a big role in my success,” she said.

She appreciated her parents and faculty members whom she said inspired and pushed her to do more.

Ms Abdullahi is a member of the university’s elite Honour Society, a group of outstanding students in the university. She has also been listed on the university president’s academic recognition accolade for five consecutive semesters.

She served as the Public Relations Officer of the AUN Girl Child Aid Foundation and Event Coordinator for the WAAW Foundation, AUN Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (AUN-STME) initiatives.

“I enjoy tutoring other students organic chemistry most especially. It was my favourite course. At the end of the semester when the students come and tell me they got A- or B+, you just feel that sense of fulfillment, you feel accomplished and it’s very rewarding,” she said.

“Also as part of the Honour Society, I was the events coordinator for working towards advancing STEM education for African women, where we go to Government Secondary Schools here in Yola to promote STEM education to the young girls because, a lot of girls are told that the STEM field is a male-dominated field, so you don’t belong here. just telling them that you also have a place here and you also have a future here.”