BY DAYO ADESULU
Ibadan–United States Consulate General on Wednesday announced the opening of its EducationUSA Advising Center in Ibadan, Oyo State. The new centre joins the U.S. Department of State’s network of over 430 international student advising centres in more than 175 countries and territories.
The EducationUSA Advising Center hosted at the American Corner, 52 Magazine Road, Jericho in Ibadan, will be open to the public, offering a regular schedule of individual, group and online advising sessions aimed at enabling more students to pursue their dreams of studying in the United States.
U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer Stephen Ibelli said the centre will assist prospective undergraduate and graduate students in navigating the admissions process by providing comprehensive and accurate information about the more than 4,000 accredited higher education institutions in the United States.
“We are extremely pleased to open an EducationUSA Advising Center in Ibadan,” Ibelli said at a brief ceremony attended by teachers, students, and educational administrators.
“Nigeria is home to so many talented, ambitious young people, who often ask us about studying in the United States. EducationUSA presents an opportunity for young Nigerians to obtain a world-class education in the United States and then return home to contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth and development,” he added.
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In his goodwill message, Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barrister Sunkanmi Olaleye, expressed the readiness of the state government to partner with the U.S. Consulate to expand access to the services of the new EducationUSA Advising Center.
At the centre, students will have the unique opportunity to explore the diversity and vitality of higher education in the United States. Periodically, representatives from U.S. institutions, alumni as well as EducationUSA advisors will be available to interact with registered members and other interested members of the public.
Young Nigerians considering bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral studies in the U.S. are encouraged to visit the EducationUSA Advising Center and learn more about its services. In addition to Ibadan, EducationUSA Advising Centers are located in Lagos, Abuja, Calabar, Jos and Kano.
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Over the last 21 years, the EducationUSA Advising Centers in Nigeria have directly contributed to an increase in the number of highly qualified Nigerian applicants to U.S. institutions.
According to the latest Institute of International Education Open Doors Report, Nigeria retained its top ranking as the number one source of African students studying in the United States. About 13,762 Nigerians study at more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities.
