UNICAL best graduating student with 12 awards speaks on academic feat

A young lady identified as Kamsi Muoka has further proven that hard work pays as she emerged as the best graduating student of her department at the University of Calabar class of 2021.

Speaking with Muse.ng, Kamsi, who graduated with a first class degree in Medical Laboratory Science, said the combination of hard work, smart work and God’s special grace were responsible for her academic feat.

In her words: “I don’t think I did anything differently. Yes, I read more and worked hard but there were people who read just as much as I did and worked even harder than I did. So, I’d say it’s a combination of hard work, smart work and God’s special grace.”

Kamsi’s social life

The young lady said she didn’t have so much of a social life until her fourth and fifth year when she joined the university’s debate club.

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She said: “I took up interests in public speaking and poetry, participated in some debate and public speaking tournaments, volunteered with some NGOs, attended some class parties and went on a few dates. So yeah, I think I did have a social life.”

Distractions in school

Kamsi said she only allowed the distractions she wanted but there weren’t exactly distractions because she tried to find a balance.

According to the first class graduate, she served as vice president and later on, president of her fellowship in school.

In her words: “I was also campus director of the Millennium Fellowship in my cohort.”

Despite the fact that the activities were taxing, Kamsi said she didn’t allow them to come in the way of her academics.

In her words: “I also managed my time properly and learnt to say no to responsibilities I couldn’t handle at the time.”

Her future plans

Kamsi, who has won two public speaking awards and ten academic awards, said she plans to complete her compulsory one year internship and secure a fully funded postgraduate scholarship in Immunology and Immunotherapy either in the UK or US.

She added: “In the future, I hope to be a renowned clinical research scientist and owner of the biggest diagnostic laboratory in Africa.

“Somewhere along the line, I also have plans of lecturing.”

Kamsi advised those aspiring to graduate with a first class to stay true to themselves at all times, adding that one of the things students fail to understand is that what works for A may not work for B.

In her words: “Discover what works for you, ask questions, don’t be an island, be intentional about your academic goals, learn to fail forward, manage your time properly, study smart and not hard, and finally, trust God.

“These were the things I believe worked for me. Again, there is no single manual or technique to acquiring a first class.”