Scholarship winner on the next step to an engineering career

Chibuzo Victor Chimeka, a previous winner of the Coachmakers’ Sir Frederick Handley Page Scholarship, has recently graduated from Brunel University with an MEng in Aerospace Engineering. He recently posted the following on LinkedIn.

First of all, I would like to thank Jesus Christ, my Lord, for all he has done for me. On 17th July, I graduated from Brunel University of London with an MEng in Aerospace Engineering. Within this past year, I have had the privilege of winning an aerospace scholarship, the Crown Cork Award and the Dean’s Award for the Societal Challenge, all for the best MEng design project – getting an A for the group dissertation and an A+ for the individual dissertation contribution. I and my team mates embarked on a journey with a rather novel project.

All these achievements are almost impossible, but God heard my prayers. I was never good in school, and had extreme difficulties with learning, so much so that for most parts of my school life, I was often withdrawn from class to do extracurricular activities. I primarily believe in miracles because of the experiences I have had. I did not do Year 5 and Year 6, but jumped to Year 7. Knowing those difficulties and juggling them as an 11-12-year-old, I had a passion for aerospace, but I could not see myself ever doing it, as I was not intellectually capable. I was able to get through by memorising, as I have a photographic memory, but it was only at uni that I started to be shaped for a potential career. As of now, there is nothing I cannot grasp in terms of knowledge, wisdom and understanding. I am a completely different person – glory to God!

Despite all the difficult situations, I swore to never give up, as a kid, to now, I have not gone back on that. You might fail, but rise and keep doing it, surely you will hit the target and in the process be a genius in that thing too. The most important thing is the change of mindset. I always aimed for first class no matter what, but I missed it by a hair’s breadth, getting 2.1, but that’s for the best, we move on to greater things.

To everyone who reads this, you can achieve whatever YOU want, measure your progress relative to yourself, and be diligent on being better every day. As long as you keep living, there is always a second chance. Well done to all who graduated, and to my fellow engineers, keep being a student of wisdom – we have a lot to do in this world.

Success will always be measured by the difference we make in people’s lives.