*PETERSON SPLASHES ₦2M, FUNDS MASTERS TO PhD SCHOLARSHIPS AT UNIDEL CONVOCATION* By Ewere Okonta 08037383019 eobnewsmedia@gmail.com www.ewereokontablog.org.ng History was made at the maiden convocation ceremony of the University of Delta (UNIDEL), Agbor, as Dr. Donald Peterson, through his D-Peterson Foundation, turned what was already a moment of academic glory into a life-changing celebration of excellence. From the roll call of graduates to the applause that echoed across the convocation arena, one name rang louder than most, Dr. Donald Peterson. And not without reason. Long before the first convocation gown was sewn, Dr. Peterson had set the tone. He became the first individual to institute a ₦2 million endowment fund in honour of outstanding graduating students of UNIDEL. It was not a promise whispered in private; it was a bold commitment to reward excellence and inspire a culture of academic distinction. The breakdown of the fund was both deliberate and visionary: • ₦1,000,000 for the Overall Best Graduating Student with a First Class. • ₦250,000 each for the Overall Best Graduating First Class Students in Business Administration, Economics, History and International Studies, and Computer Science. However, Computer Science did not meet the eligibility requirements for the award this year, and as such, no allocation was made to that department; a clear message that excellence is rewarded, not assumed. Cheques, Cheers and Changing Destinies Yesterday, at the convocation ground, Dr. Peterson demonstrated that his philanthropy is not mere rhetoric. It is action. It is impact. It is transformation. Emerging as the Overall Best Graduating Student of the University was Uzoma Victoria Ifunanya. As if that wasn’t remarkable enough, she also clinched the Best Graduating Student in the Department of Business Administration. For her double feat, she received a total cheque of ₦1,250,000; ₦1 million as the overall best, and ₦250,000 as the departmental best. The applause that followed was thunderous. It was not just about the money; it was about recognition. It was about honouring hard work in a society that sometimes overlooks it. From the Department of Economics, Ologun Temitope Maria went home with ₦250,000 as the Best Graduating Student in her department. From History and International Studies, Ugherughe Precious Edafe also received ₦250,000 for her academic brilliance. Each cheque carried more than naira notes; it carried hope, validation, and a powerful message; that UNIDEL rewards excellence, and that Dr. Peterson stands solidly behind that principle. From Masters to PhD; A Scholarship That Changes Everything But Dr. Peterson was not done. In what many described as a “Peterson twist,” classy and classic, he went beyond the cash prizes. He announced a scholarship sponsorship for Uzoma Victoria Ifunanya, covering her academic journey from Master’s degree through to PhD level. The convocation ground erupted again. Yet, fate had one more dramatic layer. The Best Graduating Student with First Class in the Department of Software Engineering, Uzoma Ruth Chinenye, who is incidentally a direct sibling to Uzoma Victoria Ifunanya, was also awarded a full scholarship from Master’s degree to PhD level. Two sisters. Two scholars. Two destinies lifted at once. That is vintage Peterson. This was not just philanthropy; it was strategic nation-building. It was an investment in human capital. It was a statement that education remains the most powerful tool for societal transformation. A Foundation Rooted in Humanity Through the D-Peterson Foundation, Dr. Donald Peterson has consistently demonstrated that impact is not measured by noise but by lives touched. His interventions in education, social development, and youth empowerment continue to reshape narratives, particularly in Ika Nation and beyond. At the convocation, the beneficiaries were visibly emotional. They poured out praises for Dr. Peterson and members of his Foundation, describing the gesture as life-changing. For many families present, the scholarships represented relief, opportunity, and the assurance that brilliance will not be buried by financial constraints. In an era where conversations often revolve around what is wrong with society, Dr. Peterson is choosing to focus on what can be made right. UNIDEL’s first convocation will be remembered for academic milestones, but more importantly, it will be remembered as the day philanthropy met excellence on a grand stage. And at the center of it all stood Dr. Donald Peterson; not just as a donor, but as a believer in dreams, a builder of futures, and a man who understands that when you reward excellence, you reproduce it. Indeed, at UNIDEL, Peterson did not just splash ₦2 million. He invested in tomorrow. *Ewere Okonta is the CEO of EOB Media. He is a member of #TeamPeterson. He writes from the Department of Business Administration, University of Delta, Agbor.* #EOB #TeamPeterson #Unidel