Musopa Kalenga is one of the winners of the 2024 $1,000 GlobalScholarships.com External Scholarships! For clarification, in 2024, we’ve given out three $1,000 scholarships, and in 2025, we will be giving out one $3,000 scholarship. Here’s the Q and A of Musopa Kalenga!
Facts about Yourself:
- College that you are attending: the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Program: PhD in Public Policy
- Career Plan (if you have one): Through research and policy, I would like to leverage the knowledge and skills I have gained from my PhD program to promote resilience and equity after climate-induced hazards among marginalized groups, with a focus on education, migration, and communication policies.
- Hobbies: Reading novels, listening to music, walking in nature and whenever an opportunity presents itself, engaging in any ocean related activity.
- One fun fact about yourself: I spent over two hours on the Indian Ocean watching dolphins (they’re my favorite animals).
How did you hear about GlobalScholarships.com External Scholarship?
I heard about GlobalScholarships.com External Scholarship through my department’s (Department of Public Policy) weekly newsletters.
How was the application process of the GlobalScholarships.com External Scholarships and how did you prepare for it?
The application for the GlobalScholarships.com External Scholarships was straightforward, which was greatly appreciated. In preparing for my application, I have an organized folder containing all my necessary documents such as my CV, personal statements, statements of purpose, etc, which made the process more efficient for me. I also set a dedicated time to complete my application in one sitting, this works well for me.
Have you received other scholarships from your university or other organizations?
I was selected as a 2021-22 recipient of the Nancy W. Stegman Fellowship, which is awarded annually to an outstanding incoming doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2019, I was the World Bank’s Blog4Dev competition winner from Zambia. In 2016, I was selected as the African winner of the United Nations Industrial Organization (UNIDO) time capsule competition. Additionally, in 2016, I was selected as one of USAID’s DREAMS writing challenge winner and ambassador.
What do you advise other students, whether it be for this scholarship or for other external scholarships?
I think it is important to just tell your own story when applying for scholarships or any other opportunities. In addition, making applications requires a significant amount of dedication and determination. Most importantly and this applies to other areas of life, don’t give up, your applications may not be successful at the first attempt but try again! Wishing you the very best!
