Lawal is from Nigeria and has always been fascinated with chemistry and science. As the son of an automobile mechanic, Lawal was born with the innate desire to improve both his family’s as well as his country's economic situation. This shaped Lawal's interests in pursuing further studies and research into the significance of energy. Ten years ago, when Lawal lost his mother, that desire grew exponentially.

In spite of his loss, Lawal continued to excel in his studies, received his bachelor of science degree in 2019 from the University of Ibadan, was accepted into the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program, and began to pursue his next goal - a doctoral degree.

EducationUSA supports its international recipients throughout the U.S. higher education application process, including distributing fee waiver referrals to those who qualify.  And as he applies for colleges and universities in the U.S., Lawal states that the ECE® Aid fee waiver he received in November “has been very significant in portraying my suitability for the Ph.D. programs despite having my first degree in Nigeria. It is a great initiative, and I hope a lot of individuals like myself get to pursue their dreams through it. Thank you very much ECE!”