Oyinade Togun owns and manages two businesses—hair styling and braiding and a food business—in addition to being a full-time student. The Nigerian international student and entrepreneur attends Fisk University (a UNCF-member institution).

Togun received the Goldman Sachs Market Madness Program, administered by UNCF, which provided her with financial support and the opportunity to learn more about business leadership, knowledge that has already helped her think more strategically about her entrepreneurial pursuits. She participated in a case study competition through the program focused on corporate America, where she gained lessons in financial training, market research and investment risk.

The program helped Togun consider how to balance the demands of both businesses while keeping academics as a priority. “Before being a businesswoman, I am first a student,” she shared. “Being a student is my priority.”

At the end of last semester, Togun faced a balance that could have prevented her from registering for classes for the upcoming semester. But the Goldman Sachs Market Madness Program arrived at the right time, clearing the balance and allowing her to register for courses. “The scholarship was really helpful for me, especially as an international student,” she said. “This is the first time I’m clearing my balance this early.”

Togun is majoring in biochemistry with a minor in business. She plans to become a medical science liaison working at the intersection of gene therapy and sickle cell research.

Eventually, Togun wants to establish a nonprofit organization focused on helping people with genetic disorders and reducing the stigma surrounding these conditions. She hopes the organization will help people with genetic disorders recognize that they can pursue fulfilling lives and make meaningful contributions. “There’s space for everyone to make an impact,” she said.

Togun’s commitment to health advocacy was evident from early in her Fisk career. During her freshman year, she organized a genetic counseling session to educate students about genotypes. She collaborated with Dr. Kathy Friedman, professor of biological sciences, Vanderbilt University, who serves as a faculty liaison for the Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-Ph.D. Bridge Program, on the session. Togun was encouraged by the turnout and the students who told her they had learned something new.

Coming to Fisk from Nigeria, Togun wanted an historically Black college or university (HBCU) where she would feel connected to a strong Black community and experience a family-like campus environment. Fisk provided that atmosphere and introduced her to people who have supported her academic and personal growth.

Although she is not a first-generation college student, Togun is the first in her immediate family to pursue an education outside Nigeria. Her parents and older brother studied in Nigeria, and her family has encouraged her ambitions. She expects to graduate in May 2027.

She offers prospective students a message rooted in persistence: “Keep pushing. When you feel like giving up, it is honestly not an option.”

For Togun, the support of UNCF and the Goldman Sachs Market Madness Program has made her educational journey more manageable and gave her opportunities to grow her business skills. “I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to UNCF,” she said. “They’ve made life easier for me.”