Nominate Lucy Ikpesu-Ehwubare for Plymouth Education Hero Award, 2026
Lucy has consistently been a STEM education advocate for over 13 years, across Africa and the UK, in STEM education, sustainability, and mentorship. She’s been put forward for the Plymouth Community Awards‘ Education Hero Award run by YMCA Plymouth, and this guide shows you how to help nominate her before the deadline.
This award recognises and celebrates individuals, educators or advocates like Lucy Ikpesu-Ewhubare who have made significant contributions to improving education, inspiring students, and fostering positive learning environments.
Nomination submissions are open until 31 August 2026, and we’d love your help nominating Lucy Ikpesu-Ewhubare, founder of ScholarWaka, for the Education Hero Award.
Nomination Summary
- Award ⇒ Plymouth Community Awards – Education Hero Award 2026
- Nomination Form ⇒ Submit here
- Deadline ⇒ 31 August 2026
- Time it takes ⇒ 5 minutes
Why Lucy Ikpesu-Ehwubare Should Be Nominated for the Plymouth Education Hero Award, 2026
Lucy is a UK-based Engineer in the energy sector and the Founder of ScholarWaka, a platform built from her passion for finding and sharing global academic scholarships and career opportunities with students and young professionals. She was a Commonwealth Master’s Scholar, having secured fully funded master’s study in Master’s in Advanced Chemical Engineering with Energy at the University of Birmingham after applying to over 23 international scholarships.
STEM education advocacy has been the throughline of Lucy’s life for over 13 years, as a STEM trainer, mentor, programme leader, and speaker. She spent over four years as a STEM and Scholarship Programme Manager, Programme Director, and STEM Trainer – leading, designing and delivering STEM project-based learning programmes for schools in Africa. Her work in education impacted over 20,000 students, teachers, and young people through STEM and gender inclusion programmes across Africa, and has brought this advocacy to the UK.
Read more about Lucy’s educational impact and see examples of her work here.
How to Nominate Lucy For the Plymouth Education Hero Award, 2026 — Guided Answers
A note before you start: you don’t need to use everything below – just pick the examples that resonate most with you, or that you’ve personally witnessed, and write them in your own words. Add your own observations or a short story about how you know Lucy; that’s what makes a nomination feel genuine. Please don’t copy the sample text exactly, since several people are using this same guide.
Question 1: Why are you nominating this person? (50 words minimum)
Example Answer:
I’m nominating Lucy Ikpesu-Ewhubare for the Education Hero Award because, for over 13 years, she has been a tireless advocate for STEM education as a trainer, programme leader, mentor, and event speaker, impacting students, teachers, and young people across Africa and the UK. I have known Lucy for [X years / in what capacity], and have seen her genuine passion for STEM education first-hand.
From facilitating national STEM programmes in Nigeria (reaching hundreds of students and teachers) to representing STEM education nationally within Nigeria and internationally, Lucy has consistently gone beyond her own engineering career to open doors for others in STEM, especially girls and young women. Since moving to the UK, she has continued this work locally, as she has always loved to create a mark of impact wherever she is, and most recently speaking at volunteering to teach students in Plymouth, UK.
Please replace the paragraph above, or add to it, with your own example or words or story of how you’ve seen Lucy’s education advocacy first-hand. Please don’t copy this text exactly, as several people are using this as a guide; a personal example in your own words makes a much stronger nomination.
Read more about Lucy’s educational impact and see examples of her work here.
Question 2: Please give further details about their contributions (50 words minimum)
Lucy’s education work spans direct teaching, public advocacy, and institutional leadership. [Pick one or more examples below that you know best or have seen first-hand — please don’t copy this exactly, as several people are using this as a guide. Rewrite in your own words, or swap in your own example if you have one.]
1. Direct STEM delivery
As a STEM Trainer, Lucy facilitated trainings such as the 2019 Agbami STEM Education Programme in Lagos, impacting 15 schools, 30 teachers, and 30 students; and Africa Science Week in Abuja, Nigeria, which reached over 300 students across 32 schools, teaching Renewable Energy and Digital Electronics.
2. International reach
Lucy facilitated a coding and robotics session at an African Union workshop on girls’ education in Tunisia, attended by 60 participants from 45 African countries, and was selected for a MASHAV STEM education training in Israel, which she has applied directly to her work since.
3. Public advocacy
Lucy has done live radio talks promoting STEM education, spoken at national programme closing ceremonies, and been featured in The BusinessDay (Nigeria) and Guardian (Nigeria) for her commitment to STEM education for African girls.
4. Founder, ScholarWaka
Lucy founded ScholarWaka to help students and young professionals from any background access global scholarships, drawing on her own experience winning a Commonwealth Scholarship and four-plus years managing scholarships professionally.
5. UK-based advocacy
Lucy has continued to speak and share her STEM journey while volunteering with organisations in her city, inspiring school students to pursue a career in STEM and the energy sector.
Read more about Lucy’s educational impact and see examples of her work here.
Question 3: Any additional information/links (optional)
Further details on Lucy’s background and education advocacy and links can be found in her full profile story here.
Deadline
The deadline for submission is 31 August 2026, via the YMCA Plymouth nomination form.
Nominate Lucy Ikpesu-Ewhubare for the Education Hero Award Now
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know Lucy personally to nominate her?
It helps to have seen or experienced her work or mentorship first-hand, even briefly, but you don’t need a long personal history – a genuine observation, however small, is enough.
Can more than one person nominate her?
Yes. Multiple nominations are welcome and can strengthen her case; just make sure your answers are written in your own words rather than copied from this guide.
What if I only know one part of her work – do I need to cover everything?
No. Pick the theme or example you know best or witnessed yourself. A specific, honest account of one thing is stronger than a general summary of everything.
Do I have to write a long answer?
Each question has a 50-word minimum, not a maximum. Clear and specific beats long.
Where do I actually submit the nomination?
Through the official YMCA Plymouth nomination form, by 31 August 2026.
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