How UNCF Supports This International Student Building His Tech Future
Long before Israel Ogbonna arrived at UNCF-member institution Huston-Tillotson University, the computer science and mathematics major was experimenting with engineering projects in his home country of Nigeria. He built remote-control cars, drones and gadgets from parts he found or bought.
“I’ve always had a passion for building things,” said the junior. “I love engineering and mathematics, and computer science gave me a way to combine both.”
That passion led him halfway across the world. Ogbonna earned a full tuition scholarship through the W.E.B. Du Bois Scholarship program. But covering tuition is only part of the ever-increasing costs of higher education—housing and meals remained a major financial hurdle, which often distracted him from being able to fully focus on school.
That changed when Ogbonna received the UNCF LAM Research Scholarship, which offers merit-based awards of $5,000 to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing STEM degrees. The scholarship significantly reduced room and board costs and relieved a major source of financial stress for the international student. “It allowed me to focus more on my education and my projects instead of constantly worrying about finances,” he said.
“It was a game-changer for me,” he continued. “As an international student, there were many scholarships I wasn’t eligible for because I’m not a U.S. citizen. This scholarship gave me a way to fund my education.”
Ogbonna chose to attend Huston-Tillotson University after considering several HBCUs, including Fisk University, where he also received a scholarship offer. But the Austin-based campus stood out because of the higher financial aid package he received, friends who were already attending and proximity to a growing tech industry.
“The location is a pretty tech-centered space,” he said.
That environment has fueled both Ogbonna’s academic and entrepreneurial ambitions. He has interned with industry-leading companies including Apple and Amazon Web Services. Last summer, he was a software development engineer intern at Amazon. Currently, he is developing an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered agent designed to help real estate professionals streamline their work.
After he graduates next May, Ogbonna plans to work as a software engineer, focusing on AI.
One of his most memorable moments at Huston-Tillotson University was during his freshman year, when financial uncertainty pushed him to take on a challenge outside his comfort zone. His parents could only partially cover his second semester housing costs, so Ogbonna found an opportunity through the campus Apple Coding Club—an app-building competition where students have a chance to win scholarship money. While Ogbonna had never built an iOS app before, he was determined to enter the competition. “I thought maybe this was a way I could help pay for school,” he said.
In just two weeks, Ogbonna taught himself the necessary skills and created an app called Nota, an AI-powered note-taking platform designed to help students better organize and understand classroom material. The app scans handwritten or photographed notes, extracts text using optical character recognition (OCR) technology and enhances study materials with additional AI-generated context. Ogbonna ended up placing third in the competition, earning a $1,000 scholarship award. “That moment will stay with me,” he said.
Recently, Ogbonna represented Huston-Tillotson University—one of only two students from his university selected to attend—at the ASU+GSV Summit’s HBCU Partnership, an initiative that advances equity, opportunity and access within the education and innovation ecosystems. The program promotes professional growth, economic mobility and a diverse and inclusive future for education and innovation, while providing mentorship and first-hand exposure to leading EdTech companies.
At the Summit, Ogbonna joined other student innovators, entrepreneurs and technology leaders from across the country. “I got to meet founders building in the app and tech space, students working on ambitious projects and people funding companies,” he said. “There were sessions about financial management, innovation and building solutions for the future. It was a really impactful experience.”
Ogbonna said he hopes donors understand how deeply their investments matter. “This program doesn’t just impact my life,” he explained. “It impacts so many students—African American students, international students and people trying to reach their fullest potential.”
“I really appreciate the work UNCF is doing,” he added. “Scholarships like this help create a more equitable society and give students opportunities to do great things.”
UNCF is proud of our students and alumni who have received scholarships that help them continue their education and graduate. These scholarships are invaluable to students, and UNCF is accepting donations to support students like Israel Ogbonna in their academic endeavors.