They came in large numbers, had great fun, and left with high dreams. High School students in Abuja and Yola flocked to AUN's Open House sessions over the weekend.
The Open House Meets were a platform put together by the University's Admissions & Enrollment Management team under the guardianship of Assistant Vice President Bello Abdullahi. They are essentially get-to-know information sessions where the participants interact with the Enrollment Team, who answer their questions about study opportunities and student life experience at AUN.
President Margee Ensign and Dean Byron Bullock were in Abuja to meet with the young scholars.
In Yola, the visiting students received information about the uniqueness of an AUN education and why they have their best chance of fulfilling their dreams in Africa's premier Development University from deans and program chairs. They learned that AUN is Africa's innovation center with a global faculty. AUN offers opportunities for students to study abroad and to participate in the Model UN and international Hult Prize competition.
Several highly successful AUN alums were also present to share their experience with the young students in Abuja: Basil Abia, Maryam Lawan, Akim John, and Aisha Mai.
They retold their own AUN stories about the University's first-class academic facilities, digital resources, and rich, diverse, and vibrant campus life. They also reflected on various mentorships they were exposed to through leadership training, public speaking sessions, community development, entrepreneurship, career advising, and other academic support programs that set AUN aside from other universities. This support helped them to overcome their initial anxieties to become bold leaders and problem solvers who are making the change Nigeria requires at this moment. They also learned that the AUN campus is a safe and secure learning environment, a beautiful green and sustainable campus with regular electric power, high-speed internet, and comfortable boarding and dining facilities.
Students from the Nigerian Air Force Comprehensive School and Concordia College, all in Yola, came to campus while students in and around the Federal Capital Territory attended the event at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Center in Abuja.
Participating schools include Cradle2Havard International School, Premier Academy, Lugbe, Pacesetters College, Nigeria-Ghana International Schools, Government Senior Secondary School, and Living Spring International College, Abuja.
Fouad Labadidi Islamic Academy, Great Heights Academy, Baldom International School, and Funtaj International School were among the other schools represented.
AVP Bello Abdullahi described the outing as very successful:
"While a picture is worth a thousand words, nothing beats seeing our AUN campus in person. Our Open House events give us the opportunity to show AUN at her best; a one-day event that introduces our prospective students to our diverse community of global faculty, excellent staff and amazing students. It was a very successful event. We had lots of learning and lots of fun too!"
Reported by Halima Muhammad