How Unilag’s Idara Oluwaseun secured highly competitive Bridge Fellowship Programme

By Favour Osah

For a University of Lagos student and Faculty of Architecture President, Idara Oluwaseun, getting into the highly competitive Bridge Fellowship Program was nothing short of a dream come true.

Q: So, how did you celebrate when you got that “Congratulations” mail

A: I just couldn’t stop smiling 😂

That day, I was at the office. I thanked God immediately because the process wasn’t easy at all.

Then, after, I sent a voice note to my friend because she’s also a fellow from last year and she was the one who put me through the whole process.
So yeah, nothing elaborate, but I was just so so happy

Q: Can you walk us through the application process for the Bridge Fellowship?

A: Okay

So, like any typical application, you have to fill in your personal information: your school, volunteering experiences (if any), leadership experiences (because it is a leadership development programme) and then your academic results.

After that, you have to write about four to five essays with nothing less than 150 words (I can’t really remember the exact number, but the essays had different instructions on the amount of words required).

After applying, the next phase is the video interview on a site. You’ll be scheduled to have a live interview session on the website. So the website is going to prompt questions for you to answer, and you have about 1 minute to record yourself answering the questions. It’s a video interview, and you have to answer within the stipulated time.
There are about three questions in this phase.

If you pass that stage, the next phase is the live video call, where you’re asked questions by the representatives of the program.

For the recommendation letter, a link is sent to your email to give to your recommender; that person is going to submit the letter using the link and thereby submitting it directly to the programs team, you don’t have a business with that one at all.
And that’s just it

Q: So what motivated you to apply and join the program?

A: Naturally, I love applying and participating in programs/events/opportunities that I believe would make me better and also grow positively.

When I saw the bridge program last year through my friend, I saw that it aligned with my goal and I decided to apply

Q: So how did you prepare? What do you think made your application stand out?

A: I keep mentioning my friend, Raheemah Akinlusi, because she’s the one who prepared me and told me what to expect.

So before and during the application process, I kind of knew what to expect.

To answer your question on what made my application stand out, I’ll say I’m not sure, but I know that I put In all my effort during the application (because I knew about their <5% acceptance rate)

Q: Can you share one memorable lesson or moment from the programme?

A: So I’m currently in the post-camp phase.

After being accepted, we had to attend a two-week boot camp at a location. It was filled with intense training in leadership, mentorship, entrepreneurship and governance…also fun!

And honestly, I don’t just have one memorable lesson; I have so many because I learned a lot

For example! I really understood that when you are faced with a problem, providing a solution immediately is not the first step to take. You first have to first find out the root causes of that specific problem then use the root causes to provide solutions.

Q: So what challenges have you faced so far, and in what ways were you able to handle them?

A: So at that time, I was on IT and the bridge program already told us that during the boot camp we won’t be able to attend to other things (work or school related) because we would be really occupied.

And it was true, initially I had a hard time balancing work and the camp but I found a way around it and a balance.

Q: Do you have a specific project, cause, or idea you’re passionate about pursuing through this opportunity?

A: Oh yes
During the postcamp phase, we are expected to pick a problem that’s particular to our community, school or country and you’re to solve that problem within a few months using whatever acceptable solution you come up with.

Due to my current position as the faculty president of Architecture, UNILAG I have decided to go with solving a problem within my faculty and making things better.

Q: What long-term impact do you hope to make in your field or community with the skills you gain here?

A: Right now, my long-term goal is to share the knowledge and skills I gained during the Bridge Program with others through my leadership, especially young people in my field. I hope to build a community where creativity, mentorship, and collaboration are emphasized. I am really passionate about my career choice and I’ll love to make architecture and design a tool for social change.

Q: What advice would you give to other Unilag students who might want to apply for this fellowship in the future?

A: Go for it!
It is an amazing experience and something that you won’t regret
Put your best foot forward during the application process too

Q: What would you say to students who doubt their ability to get into highly competitive programmes like this?

A:I’ll say, don’t count yourself out before even trying.

You’re far more capable than you think and self-doubt is the quickest way to hold yourself back. Be your own biggest supporter, because if you don’t believe in yourself, who will???

Always take the chance and you just might surprise yourself.