We are interviewing Mahfuz Taofeeq who came to Russia in 2018 as a scholarship student but has since then become a student leader in various capacities.
He is passionate about student development activities, self growth and helping other foreign students in Russia find opportunities that help them grow their career even while studying abroad.
Hello! Can you give a quick introduction?
I am Mahfuz Taofeeq, a 4th year biotechnology undergrad in Voronezh State University of Engineering and Technology.
I have served in ANSSIR (Association of Nigerian Scholarship Students in Russia) as the Financial Secretary and Public Relations Officer at different times. I am also a student leader in my university serving all foreign students, Nigerian students and managing hostel affairs.
I was honoured to receive the ‘Foreign Student of the Year’ in Russia laureate in 2021. I’ve attended the RANEPA Summer Campus and served as a volunteer at different events for students in Russia.
I’ve also participated in and emerged as a prize winner in science conference and olympiads within and outside my university.
Seems you must know Russian well to do all this. What tips would you give to a new foreign student trying to understand Russian?
We humans are built differently. We have different strategies. Some people learn faster when they see stuff, some when they hear and some when they read.
Personally, I’m someone who grasp faster when I hear and see, so that was what I worked on when I was learning the language.
I used movies, interacted with a lot of people and also worked on getting lots of Russian friends after my preparatory year. That was what helped me in learning the language.
So my advice is, look for what works for you and don’t be scared to continue learning even when it’s hard. You’re going to make mistakes because it’s not your language. But make sure you practice, practice, practice and one day you’re going to be very good at it.
How did you win foreign student of the year?
I would like to begin by defining what ‘Foreign Student of the Year’ in Russia is. It is one category of the ‘Student of the Year’ nominations in Russia.
The aim of the nomination is to find and support students that have been doing exceptionally well in terms of academics, social activities, supporting other students and participating in events and forums.
The awardees are given incentives in different forms- money, internship programs, mentorship programs, free trips, with the aim of encouraging them to continue on the path of excellence.
So, I’d say won by doing what other participants did not do. After talking about my academic and social achievements and taking the general tests, I thought of a different way of presenting my idea.
That’s basically what gave me an edge over others, because everyone came with a presentation, trying to explain what they have achieved and that’s just generic.
How do I get involved in extracurricular activities in my university?
I personally belong to different organisations in my university. These universities usually host events and we post them on social media from time to time.
This would be a great place to start learning about these opportunities in your school. Because to attend these events, you don’t necessarily have to be a member of the organisation.
So look for things like the Student Union and the International Faculty in your school. Make sure you also check the school’s social media pages and talk to your dean if you’re interested in these kind of events.
How do I know what type of opportunities to look out for? Do they have to be related to my course?
When I started, I made one mistake of participating in everything in my school. I wasn’t focused, so that took a lot of time from my academic activities. Although, it didn’t affect my result but I was under a lot of tension, so I would not recommend that.
That is why I have a group where I post various activities and opportunities, so you can easily check those that are related to your course of study and relevant to your interests. It depends on what you are looking for.
I think every individual should know what exactly they are looking for. Are you looking for opportunities in your academic field? Or are you looking for opportunities for your personal growth or looking to go into another field?
What you are looking for will determine the kind of forums you join and the activities you participate in.
Where can I find these opportunities?
Whether you’re looking for events that promotes personal growth, or specific career-driven student forums, here are some groups you can keep an eye on for these opportunities:
Росмолодежь
https://vk.com/rosmolodez, https://fadm.gov.ru/
Российский союз молодежи
https://vk.com/rsmofficial, https://www.ruy.ru/
Россия- страна возможностей
https://vk.com/rsvru, https://rsv.ru/
Those are the three major organisations that organise these events. They even post available projects on their website and social media platforms, so you can check them out.
Many universities also have various Olympiad and Student Forums they organize from time to time and invite people to participate in.
How do I balance school and all these extra work- being active and still maintaining a good grade?
Referring to what I stated earlier, don’t participate in everything. Be focused. Know what you are looking for. Try to find out what you want to go into, then dedicate your time and have focus.
If you try to do every extra-curricular activity, it’s going to be very tedious. Most of the time, these activities will be after school hours and on weekends, so it might be difficult to combine those activities with school work.
The secret, I think, is knowing exactly what you want to achieve and go for it. That way you will be able to plan your time effectively to ensure that one does not affect the other.
How can I make my extracurricular activities work in my CV?
While choosing the extracurricular activities to participate in, you should focus on something related to your field. Forums from your field should be a priority compared to those outside your field, to give you more edge when putting it into your CV for jobs in the future.
How do I make plans for my career path after school? When is the best time to start applying?
I am still an undergraduate, so I can’t really say until I have that experience first-hand.
If you are looking for postgraduate opportunities as a student in Russia, you should join our Telegram channel where we will soon have a webinar discussing ‘The various masters scholarships in Russia, how to secure a good scholarship and the benefits of studying a masters degree in Russia both here and when you graduate.’
