Renowned journalist, Stephanie Busari, has been selected as the only Nigerian in the Class of 2020 for the annual Yale’s World Fellow Program; beating out thousands of applicants from around the world to secure one of the few spots.

The multi-award-winning journalist and editor at CNN Worldwide, Stephanie Busari, is widely known for exclusively obtaining the ‘proof of life’ video on the missing Chibok schoolgirls in the wake of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign. The video exposition eventually led to talks with the insurgency group, Boko Haram, which resulted in the release of over 100 kidnapped schoolgirls.

She started off as a freelance journalist at BBC News before she moved to CNN in 2008; where she pioneered CNN’s first digital and multi-platform bureau. Stephanie has since then amassed several awards including the Peabody Award and the Hollywood Gracie Award. This is why it was only fitting that she was chosen alongside 13 other women and men as part of the elite set in Yale’s 2020 World Fellows program; a global leadership development program at the university.

Congratulations to @StephanieBusari, multi-award-winning journalist and editor at @CNN, for being admitted into the @Yale @WorldFellows Class of 2020.
More Info: https://t.co/kDG5m1Utdo #YaleWorldFellows #YaleAfrica #Nigeria @CNNAfrica pic.twitter.com/BF00uWxjvm

— Yale Africa (@yaleafrica) August 10, 2020

Other Africans chosen include Pastor Evan Mawarire, founder and leader of #ThisFlag Citizen’s Movement, Hyppolite Ntigurirwa, an artist, activist, and founder of Be the Peace, an organisation focusing on the use of art to halt the inter-generational transmission of hate and to promote the power of cross-generational healing, as well as Edwan Ngum Tah, an attorney and civil litigation expert working in Cameroon.

A Mexican biotech entrepreneur, an Afghan human rights lawyer and other impressive people were also selected in this year’s list of 13, bringing the total number of World Fellows since the program’s start in 2002 to 359 Fellows, representing 91 countries; marking the 19th cohort of World Fellows.

We’re thrilled to (finally) announce our 2020 World Fellows! A Nigerian journalist, a Mexican biotech entrepreneur and an Afghani human rights lawyer are among the 13 women and men selected for the program this fall. Read more about them on our website: https://t.co/H0fcL3MCa2 pic.twitter.com/Rs5w0N6rb4

— YaleWorldFellows (@WorldFellows) August 6, 2020

 

The World Fellows program is Yale University’s signature global leadership development initiative and a core element of Yale’s ongoing commitment to internationalisation with a mission to cultivate and empower a network of globally engaged leaders committed to making the world a better place.

Annually, the University selects about 16 rising global leaders from around the world and from diverse disciplines to partake in its international fellowship known as the Maurice R. Greenberg World Fellows Program through a competitive application process. These leaders reside at Yale for the fall semester to study, share their knowledge, and expand their networks.

To see the full list and biography, visit here.