In recognition of her community services as well as leadership of The President of Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigerian, (APWEN), Engr Funmilola Ojelade has been awarded Harvard University’s Derek Bok Public Service Prize 2021. This was at a Commencement (graduation ceremony) award recognizing creative initiatives in community service or long-standing records of civic achievement among graduates. In Addition to this award, the hardworking engineer also made the Dean’s list!
May 27th, 2021 was a very special day for Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria, APWEN as its President, Engr Funmilola Ojelade, received the Derek Bok Public Service Prize for 2021. The Derek Bok Public Service Prizes are very prestigious awards given at Harvard University’s Commencement each year to graduating students from the Harvard Extension School. It carries a medal, a citation and a cash prize. The award recognizes creative initiatives in community service or long-standing records of civic achievement.
The Derek Bok Public Service Prizes was instituted in honor of the former President of Harvard University, Derek C. Bok, for his interest in encouraging public service by all Harvard students.
The Commencement ceremony of Harvard Extension School held on Thursday 27th May 2021. At 10:30 a.m. ET. That is 3:30 p.m. Nigerian Time.
Reacting on her social media handle, Ojelade enthused: “As APWEN President, I’m very pleased to share this because majority of the “Community Service” works used in my application are the works I did in APWEN National Headquarters while I was a student at Harvard University. I also used my work in the Safari Cities Agric Social Impact Programme.”
Ojelade dedicated the award to all the members of APWEN and Safari Cities Ltd., whose collective works contributed to the success. She however noted that she is proud of the award because “the award validates our work at APWEN National Headquarters”
The nomination was open to all graduates Harvard University school; over 1,300 of us from 63 countries.
Engr Funlola Ojelade is Manager Pre-Press (Currency Manufacturing) at the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc., the sole manufacturer of banknotes in West Africa. Funlola has been APWEN member since 2003, during which she has been a visible and effective leader in the Association at both executive and non-executive capacity. She was Chairman of the Abuja Chapter of APWEN (2011 – 2013).
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and earned a Master’s degree in the same field from the University of Lagos. She also hold a Master’s degree Business & Management at the Harvard University. Funlola has taken several career enhancement courses including Supply Chain Management program at the Cranfield University in the United Kingdom. She is a Chattered Engineer registered with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN)
Written by Isqil Najim (isqilnajim@gmail.com)