ISESA UniJos Chapter

#3: SCIENCE INTEGRATORS - Living the Experience
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How I Leveraged Being an Undergraduate

by Jœy Shekwonuzhibo

The story began in 2010 when I applied for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination. I couldn’t secure admission into the University of Jos that year. I applied in 2013 again, after spending three years at the polytechnic and graduated with a diploma. I studied Science Laboratory Technology (SLT) at the Plateau State Polytechnic (PlaPoly). I performed excellently in laboratory sessions. Some lecturers in the polytechnic advised me to go further and study Science Laboratory Science.

I took the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (post UTME) at the University of Jos in 2013 or so. After the exams, I returned to conclude my project at the Polytechnic. The post-UTME results came out some months later. I was offered admission to study Integrated Science Education. I despised it at first. I thought it wise to go back for a Higher National Diploma (HND), a year after my Ordinary National Diploma (OND) at the polytechnic.

I talked to my Dad about it. He got worried. He had to talk to me, even through his friends. He pleaded that I should go and make something of the course at the university, perhaps become a lecturer. After a series of conversations around the issue, I resolved to take the admission.

I came to the University of Jos campus in 2013. I met new people and coursemates, all of whom did not apply to the course. We discussed our fears as we waited in the queue to get registered for the new course. We studied the handbook and manuals, trying to make sense of what awaited us. We had long conversations, only to realise that many of us studied Science Laboratory Science at pre-degree levels. And the journey started.

The first thing I told myself then, was that I would not reach for first class or third class. Instead, I’d stay in between. However, I knew I had a passion for broadcast journalism and IT. I didn’t know how to pursue this passion, at the time. I remember I was going along the lines of this passion in secondary school. I was a science student and also the president of the school’s Press Club at some point. My friend, Umar Farouk, and I, back then in school, were members of the club. We’d stay back in school every Friday to prepare news for the club which would be read on Monday assembly.

At the 200-level, I committed to learning broadcast journalism. I gave myself a two-year timeline. I planned to start from the university’s radio station. Saint Charles, a friend and coursemate was already on the university’s radio. So, I spoke to him about my interest in being on the radio. He helped me in writing my internship letter. I was interviewed by Meshach Titch. He questioned why I was interested in radio considering that I am a science student. My performance in the previous session wasn’t bad (no first class or third class), so I was free to go ahead. I started working on my interests and building myself; in news writing, broadcast journalism, reporting, and blogging. I started blogging on a campus blog called UJxclusive.

Sometimes, you won’t find me in class. Whenever I was absent from class, you can be sure to find me on the radio station. I had issues with some lecturers during that period. After a while, the blog became popular on the campus. We organised a Spelling Bee competition on campus, which brought judges from the Department of Mass Communication and the Department of English. We had sponsors from outside the campus, from Bulletz Systems. I had a growing influence in school and had increasing opportunities for internship opportunities outside the campus. And I had to figure out a way to translate my skills and experience into income because I resolved to not return home after graduating.

I got my first job when I was a student, in my third year. The job was with an organisation running an online radio. They needed someone with vast knowledge of running an online radio. All I learned outside broadcasting was self-taught and that is why, today, I still give credit to the Integrated Science Education Programme (ISEP).

The discipline helped my problem-solving skills and critical thinking. I became solution-oriented. I worked with the organisation running an online radio until I graduated from the university. I was then offered a job at Rhythm 93.7 FM, then later at JayFm Live, where I now work currently.

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The photo: Joey Shekwonuzhibo is a member of the ISESA Class of 2018 at the University of Jos. Check out his blog and podcast: https://www.joeyoffair.com/author/joeyzhibo/

10 Things to Consider on a Field Trip to Yankari

by Tongjal WN

This list was inspired by a recent field trip I was a part of to Yankari Game Reserve, facilitated by the biological sciences departments at the University of Jos which spanned Monday, the 11th of September to Saturday, the 16th of September 2023.

Based on my experience there, I'd use this list (a kind of checklist) to prepare for any future visit to Yankari:

1. Two change of clothes for each day.

2. A budget of 1,000 naira per day for food.

3. Mosquito nets or repellants.

4. Face caps.

5. Do not forget your swimsuit!

6. Boots.

7. Torchlight.

8. Worry less about blankets, bedsheets, and mattresses.

9. Worry less about body treatments.

10. Be desirous to learn.

All else that isn't here will be under your control, so long as you heed this list and remember that you are human and possess adaptability.



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Photo credit:

Perhaps you should read chapters 1 to 5 of "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell to get the point of this excerpt from the book which is some encouragement for you who is a student of integrated science, "a relatively obscure field":

"[Bill Joy and Bill Gates] toiled away in a relatively obscure field without any great hopes for worldly success. But then - boom! - the personal computer revolution happened, and they had their ten thousand hours in. They were ready. [Joe Flom] had the same experience. For twenty years he perfected his craft at Skadden, Arps. Then the world changed and he was ready. He didn't triumph over adversity. Instead, what started out as adversity ended up being an opportunity."

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Source: "Outliers: The Story of Succes" (2008) by Malcolm Gladwell, in Chapter 3 'The Three Lessons of Joe Flom' on p. 128 [Allen Lane: Penguin Books]

UPDATE ON THE PROPOSED YEARBOOK FOR ISESA, UNIJOS CHAPTER

Fellow Members of ISESA UniJos Chapter,

First, congratulations on the conclusion of the 2020/2021 academic session. In view of the fact that we are in 2023, it has been a long ride. Congratulations, you survived thus far!

As the title of this piece implies, this broadcast is a follow-up on the proposed yearbook “Science Integrators”, which was intended to launch as a periodical specifically for the documentation of vital information concerning the students of Integrated Science Education. In view of the the visionary national coverage of the association, the publication was envisioned to start small at the University of Jos, and eventually branch out in the near future.

The content was conceived to include: brief biographies of the final year students for every session, a photograph cross-section of students in every level, articles on individual journeys as students of integrated science education, promotional adverts, commentaries from lecturers and alumni, etc.

The first edition was conceived to be launched at the Dinner scheduled for the close of the 2020/2021 academic session. Regrettably, the Dinner did not hold. Likewise, the maiden edition of the yearbook was not produced. Final-year students were the primary sponsors of the production of the yearbook with an individual payment of ₦2,000. At the time of this writing, only ₦4,000 was paid by the appointed Editor-in-Chief for the project. Despite reminders, nothing more came in.

Thankfully, over a dozen articles were sent in for publication in the yearbook. All but one are narratives of the struggles of the individuals behind the articles on their journey as undergraduate students of integrated science education from pre-university to post-graduation. All of the entries are filed and stored in a cloud storage system.

In view of the goal to build a storage and reference material for the benefit of the posterity of ISESA, I deem it necessary as editor-in-chief of the project to pitch an alternative route to that goal.

The following are my suggestions:

1. The entries should be published on the page and group of the association.

2. An e-mail newsletter can be developed and managed for ISESA (on Substack as an option) where other relevant information for the development of students of ISESA can be shared directly to the e-mail inbox of every member of the association who will sign up for the newsletter.

I would like to get your opinion on this information to enable successful ex*****on. Especially for those who have sent in articles for the yearbook, I would like to know if you grant permission for your article to be published or not on Facebook or anywhere else outside of a printed yearbook.

Kindly share your opinion on this in the comment, please.

We anticipate your immediate responses, so we can hurriedly move into creating a database of encouragement and motivation for the posterity of ISESA.

With diligence,
Tongjal Wungakha Nungbulla,
(Class of 2021)
Editor-in-chief, Science Integrators.

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This document was first published on Sunday, 23rd July 2023 in the WhatsApp groups of ISESA, namely, ISESA Dinner Committee, ISESITE UNIJOS, and those for every class.