Stanley Anukwuocha is an accomplished professional with a strong educational background and has passion for human resource management. He holds a National Diploma certificate in Public Administration and Management with upper credit (magna cum laude) from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu, Nigeria.

Building upon this foundation, Stanley pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU), Nigeria, graduating with first-class honors (summa cum laude).

His outstanding academic performance earned him the prestigious title of “best graduating student”, as recognized by the university management during his convocation ceremony. Following his exceptional achievement, Stanley was appointed as an academic staff member at MOUAU, assuming the role of a Graduate Assistant, which serves as the entry-level position for faculty members in Nigerian universities.

His dedication to research in the field of human resource management led him to further his professional development. To enhance his expertise, he successfully completed a professional course at the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, earning a Professional Diploma certificate in Human Resource Management.
Currently, Stanley is pursuing a Master of Public Administration (MPA) at Northern Illinois University (NIU), United States, where he continues to demonstrate his commitment to academic excellence.

Additionally, he serves as a Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant in the Department of Public Administration, leveraging his knowledge and skills to contribute to the academic community. With a strong foundation in public administration and a specialization in local government management, Stanley is poised to make significant contributions to the field in the future.

Awards During his MPA program at NIU between August 2022 and May 2023.

Stanley has garnered several prestigious scholarships, awards, and fellowships at both national and local levels. The notable recognitions he has received are as follows:
1. Google Career Certificate Scholarship Program in Project Management: Stanley secured a highly competitive scholarship that provided him with free access to flexible online training, accelerating his path to a well-paid position in a rapidly growing field. He diligently completed this online course from January 2023 to March 2023, culminating in a capstone project. Through the program, Stanley acquired proficiency in various project management tools such as Asana, Gantt chart, and spreadsheet. In addition, he developed essential soft skills including interpersonal, leadership, networking, communication (email conversations, presentations, and presiding over official meetings), among others.

2. Recipient of the 2023 ILCMA Winter Conference scholarship: Stanley was honored with a scholarship award in February 2023, enabling his participation in the prestigious
winter conference organized by the Illinois City/County Management Association. The scholarship comprehensively covers the expenses related to conference registration,
accommodations, and meals throughout the event duration. The conference took place from the 8th to the 10th day of February 2023 at Marriot Hotel in Bloomington Normal, Illinois.

3. 2023 Scholarship of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA):
This scholarship program recognizes exceptional African American and minority students who are enrolled full-time at an accredited, traditional four-year college or university, preferably at an HBCU, and have demonstrated outstanding scholarship and leadership, particularly in the realm of public service. Stanley was granted the scholarship, which encompassed a $5,000 monetary award, round-trip flight tickets to and from the Minneapolis hosting the 2023 annual NFBPA conference, hotel accommodations, conference registration, and meals. The award ceremony took place on April 28, 2023. 2023 NFBPA Scholarship Award.

4. 2023 Graduate Leadership Award of Northern Illinois University: The Graduate Leadership Award acknowledges graduate students who have exhibited remarkable involvement on campus, transcending their coursework, professional commitments, and family responsibilities. Recipients of this award have excelled in demonstrating their ability to maintain a balance between work, school, and personal life. The honor commemorates Kevin D. Knight, an esteemed NIU alumnus who exemplified outstanding leadership qualities. Kevin made significant contributions to the university, fostering positive change and serving as a role model for emerging student leaders. Stanley was honored with this prestigious award on April 26, 2023, in recognition of his unwavering commitment to leadership and active participation in various aspects of campus life. Notably, Stanley's engagement extended to his role as senator, representing graduate students for the 2023/2024 academic session. This achievement further underscores his dedication to advancing the interests of his fellow students and his outstanding contributions to the university community. 2023 NIU Graduate Leadership Award.

5. James M. & Audrey M. Banovetz Fellowship: Established to honor the esteemed Professor Emeritus James M. Banovetz, who played a pivotal role in establishing the NIU MPA program as one of the nation's premier programs, this fellowship program encourages NIU MPA students to engage in professional association activities. Traditionally, the fellowship, in line with Arnold's preferences, is awarded to a student specializing in local government management, enabling them to attend the 2023 International City/County Management Association conference. Stanley received this fellowship on May 12, 2023, during the Department of Public Administration award and graduation ceremony.

Special Accomplishments

Stanley in company of Goodluck Adimuko, his fellow scholar, founded this nonprofit organization, “Education African Scholars Forum”. This organization aims to support African youths in their pursuit of admission and scholarships at prestigious universities in the United States and other developed countries, including Northern Illinois University (NIU). Through the resources published on this website (www.eduafriksholars.com), Stanley has successfully reached out to numerous African youths by publishing admission and scholarship opportunities advertised by different universities in U.S., Canada, U.K. Austrialia, etc. He has also provided them with valuable assistance such as review of statement of purpose/personal statement, teaching them writing skills and tips on how to write essays and research proposals, organizing advising sessions to educate them on immigration rules, guiding them through their admission, scholarship and visa interview application processes. As a result of their efforts, over 30 candidates from Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana and other African countries have recently been admitted to esteemed graduate programs at NIU and other universities around the world, commencing in the Fall of 2023.  These programs span diverse fields such as Public Administration, Political Science, Music, Business Administration, Anthropology, Mechanical Engineering and more. This accomplishment demonstrates Stanley’s commitment to empowering African youths and facilitating their access to quality education opportunities abroad.

Career Plans

Looking ahead, Stanley plans to gain practical work experience in a local government setting following the completion of his MPA program. Subsequently, he intends to pursue a PhD program in either Human Resource Management or Public Policy Analysis. His long-term career
aspiration is to become a professor, sharing his knowledge and expertise with aspiring students in various universities as a respected faculty member.