Originally from Nigeria, Iyanu is studying a one-year MPhil in Conservation Leadership degree. She tells us about her experiences of Cambridge, Eddies and her field trip to Madagascar.

Can you tell us about your personal journey to Cambridge and what life for you looked like before you joined the University? 

I completed an undergraduate degree in Ecotourism and Wildlife Management at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, in Nigeria. I have always had an interest in the environment and how our habitat shapes who we are and how we interact with each other. Whilst there, I was President of the university’s first ever Environmental Conservation Club, founded by Dr S.O Oladeji. There I organised plastic pollution clean-ups and raised awareness of environmental matters within the university and environ.  

In Nigeria, you must complete one year of compulsory national service. After graduating, I was posted to a small rural community in Makurdi, Benue State which did not have access to clean water.  

Children would have to make the one hour round trip to retrieve fresh, drinking water. I witnessed many students arriving late for school as a result. I had an idea to implement a clean water project for the community and so I approached the community’s Chief, who offered me a piece of land for the project. 

This piece of land became my sole motivation. I raised enough money via crowd funding to purchase an 8,000-litre tank that could distribute clean water to the village residents. It was Boxing Day and the gift of water was what I decided to gift the village which I rallied round for.  But this was only a temporary solution, and a more permanent solution was needed. So, I decided to raise a further 700,000 Nigerian Naira to construct a bore hole. They were so pleased with what I had achieved, the local people gifted me 80 tubers of yams and the story went viral, picking up by local media attention.  

I then got a job with The Wildlife Conservation Society, an international NGO which saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. Through that role, I was entering communities, teaching environmental education and created almost 150 conservation clubs in the community. It was then that I learned about the master’s programme at Cambridge. I decided to push myself, so I applied and got in. 

Tell us about your MPhil? 

Cambridge’s Masters in Conservation Leadership provides students with leadership and management skills necessary to create positive change in conservation. Cambridge Conservation Initiative and the University of Cambridge collaborate to deliver the course, which is a unique collaboration between conservation organisations. Candidates for the Master of Science in Conservation Leadership must have at least three years of relevant professional experience and demonstrate leadership potential. The course also includes a 1:1 mentorship package and a placement opportunity within a conservation organisation. 

For my cohort there were 21 students, representing 18 countries, including countries as far reaching as Belize, Bangladesh, Kenya, Colombia and Kyrgyzstan, India, Croatia, Columbia, Liberia, Kenya, Somalia and all of us have been empowered to lead change in the field of environmental conservation.  

To have the opportunity to mix with so many individuals from non-white backgrounds, whose first languages were not English was a real privilege. 

Are there any professors, mentors, or classmates who particularly inspire or influence you? If so, how are they impacting your personal or professional development? 

I have to mention Nqobile, Eddie’s Director of Wellbeing. When I had moments of self-doubt, she became my personal cheerleader.  

I also have to say that the kitchen staff and Porters are the best. They are always checking in on me and making sure I’m OK. They are almost like my parents. The kitchen staff are always smiling, and the porters are always there, 7 days a week 24 hours a day. I often have a friendly chat with them on Sundays while waiting for the church bus to pick me up or to rescue me when I lock my access card in the room. Not something I am always proud to do!  

How has attending St Edmund’s College enabled you to thrive? Can you share a project, research endeavour, or extracurricular activity you are involved in that you find especially rewarding or impactful. 

Thanks to the financial support of the Tutorial Team, I was able to attend a month-long student placement in Madagascar – an island country off the coast of Africa that is home to many unique plants and animals. My role was to develop a communications strategy for IMPACT Madagascar, a charity that provides solutions combating deforestation, pollution, and poverty.  It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that would not have been possible without the support of the College and the department of Geography. 

What values are you learning at St Edmund’s College and how do you think your experiences at Cambridge are shaping you as a person? 

The word cordiality springs to mind. I like to eat in the dining hall all the time. The atmosphere is warm and friendly. It is one of the best places to meet people. I’m learning how to relate to people that may initially seem so different. 

I have learnt about the Cambridge spirit. For me, the Cambridge spirit is about excellence and not backing down. I entered Cambridge in 2023 and then Cambridge entered me in 2024. As a Cambridge student, I now embody that spirit of excellence.  

What are your plans beyond graduation and how do you see them contributing to a better future for individuals, societies and the world globally? 

I want to set up an organisation that solves water challenges in Nigeria, with particular focus on communities living around national parks. Communities that live in these environs drink water that comes direct from the forest, which impacts the forest ecosystem. If they have access to clean water, they won’t need to deplete the water resource which the local fauna and flora so desperately needs.  

What advice would you give prospective students thinking of choosing St Edmund’s College? 

There were times when I experienced self-doubt, moments when I felt I couldn’t achieve my goals because I didn’t have what it takes. But thanks to the pastoral care I received at St Edmund’s College, I was able to overcome this negative mind-set and have achieved my goals. At St Edmund’s, there’s a feeling of closeness. You can be sure that you are coming to a family. 

As a young, black Nigerian woman, I would like to encourage other young black women to consider applying to St Edmund’s College. Show yourself for who you are. Forget the colour of your skin, strive to do your best and you will flourish. I know I certainly have. 

Applications for postgraduate study are now open. The application deadline for the MPhil in Conservation Leadership is 3 December 2024. Course Starts: 1 October 2025.

Visit our postgraduate webpages to find out more.