Chegg.org global student prize recipient, Deng encourages Nigerian students to apply in 2024

Cynthia Ezekwe 

Nhial Deng, the 25-year-old 2023 winner of the prestigious Chegg.org Global Student Prize, and founder of Tamasha Tech, is encouraging Nigerian students to apply for the 2024 Chegg.org Global Student Prize. 

Deng, once a Sudanese refugee,  is an inspiration to many and has dedicated his life to helping refugees through his nonprofit organisation. He believes that more Nigerian students should be recognised for their incredible work, and hopes that the Chegg.org Global Student Prize will help them gain the attention they deserve. 

The Chegg.org Global Student Prize is a US$100,000 award presented to an exceptional student, making a real impact on learning, the lives of their peers and on society beyond.

Chegg.org partnered with the Varkey Foundation to launch the Global Student Prize in 2021, a sister award to its $1 million Global Teacher Prize. It was established to create a powerful new platform that shines a light on the efforts of extraordinary students everywhere who, together, are reshaping our world for the better. The prize is open to all students who are at least 16 years old and enrolled in an academic institution or training and skills program. Part-time students as well as students enrolled in online courses are also eligible for the prize. 

Nhial Deng, who  empowered over 20,000 refugees in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya through peacebuilding, education, and entrepreneurship programs, as well as creating a safe space for young people to heal from their trauma,  was selected as the winner of the 2023 Chegg.org Global Student Prize from almost 4,000 nominations and applications from 122 countries around the world.

Nhial believes his fellow students across Nigeria have made extraordinary contributions to their communities and society more widely, so deserve recognition through the Chegg.org Global Student Prize. 

“Nigerian students are working tirelessly both in and out of the classroom to build a better tomorrow. Their inspirational achievements deserve international recognition and widespread celebration, which is why I strongly urge them to apply for the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2024,’’ Deng said. 

Nigerian students have a history of excelling in the Chegg.org Global Student Prize. Onyinye Omenugha, a 24-year-old at the time law student at Nigerian Law School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Noel Alumona who grew up in northern Nigeria and founded youth-led nonprofit Boys Champions, were selected from 3,851 applications from 122 countries, for the top 50 shortlist of the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2023. 

Joining them in the top 50 was Kate Ekanem Hannum who founded the Inspire Community Network Foundation which for over a decade has engaged youth from more than 200 communities across Nigeria and provided training and workshops to over 35,000 girls and women in rural communities. Stanley Anigbogu, a 22-year-old student from Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria, was top 50 shortlisted for the prize in 2022. 

Similarly, in  2021, three Nigerian students featured in  the top 50 shortlist, Blessing Akpan, a student at the University of Uyo; Esther Ajari, previously a student at the University of Ibadan; and Oluwadamilola Akintewe, a student at Adekunle Ajasin University, who went on to make the top 10 that year. 

Commenting on the 2024  Chegg.org Global Student Prize, Heather Hatlo Porter, head of Chegg.org and chief communications Officer of Chegg, Inc., said, “2024 is set to be a landmark year as we face unparalleled global challenges. Students are keenly aware of this urgency and are taking action in every corner of the world. I encourage student changemakers everywhere to apply for the 2024 Chegg.org Global Student Prize. Not only because they deserve to have their outstanding contributions recognized, but because this prize provides a powerful platform for them to share their ideas and motivate others to pursue their dreams and make a difference.”

On his part, Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation, said, “Both the Global Student Prize and the Global Teacher Prize were created to highlight the vital role education plays in crafting solutions to humanity’s greatest challenges, from climate change to global health emergencies to growing inequality. Policymakers must always remember the importance of education, and it must be top of their agenda as it is the key to facing the future with confidence.”

According to the organisers, students applying for the Global Student Prize will be assessed on their academic achievement, impact on their peers, how they make a difference in their community and beyond, how they overcome the odds to achieve, how they demonstrate creativity and innovation, and how they operate as global citizens.

The organisers pointed out that the prize will be narrowed down to a top 50 shortlist, noting that top 10 finalists will  be announced later in the year, helping provide worldwide recognition for high achieving students. The winner, announced later in the year, will be chosen from the top 10 finalists by the Global Student Prize Academy, made up of prominent individuals.