Landmark University Graduate Shares How Discipline, Faith, and Strategy Led to First-Class Engineering Degree

Consistency, discipline, and sacrifice were the defining pillars behind the academic success of a Landmark University graduate who rose from a second class lower to a first-class degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

Daniella Abolarin graduated with a cumulative grade point average of 4.57, completing her degree after an inspiring academic turnaround that began with a 2:2 performance in her first year. Her journey reflects resilience, strategic learning, faith, and a growing passion for engineering, artificial intelligence, and technology-driven entrepreneurship.

Born and raised in Lagos and originally from Kwara State, Abolarin described her childhood as joyful and intellectually stimulating. Growing up in a learning-focused household encouraged curiosity, problem-solving, and critical thinking from an early age. She recalled developing a love for puzzles, experimentation, and understanding how systems work, which later influenced her decision to pursue engineering.

Coming from a Christian family where both parents are pastors and professional realtors, she said strong values such as integrity, discipline, humility, and excellence were instilled early. According to her, her parents demonstrated how to balance faith, work, and family responsibilities, reinforcing the idea that excellence is a lifestyle rather than a one-time achievement.

Her career aspirations evolved over time. As a child, she initially dreamed of becoming a banker, inspired by her mother’s professionalism, before later aspiring to medicine. Her interest in engineering was sparked during secondary school after learning about successful technology innovators and participating in STEM-focused church programs involving coding, robotics, and physics-based projects. Electrical and Electronics Engineering eventually stood out to her due to its versatility, relevance to software engineering, and the opportunity to thrive in a field with limited female representation.

She gained admission into Landmark University in late 2020 at the age of 15, a transition she described as both exciting and challenging. Adjusting to university life required emotional maturity, academic discipline, and independence. Academically, the workload was demanding, and socially, she had to overcome introversion and adapt to a new environment.

Her first year proved particularly difficult, ending with a 2:2 GPA. Rather than becoming discouraged, she said the experience became a turning point. By prioritising consistency, structured study routines, and faith-based discipline, she gradually improved her academic performance. She adopted habits such as sitting at the front during lectures, studying extensively in the library, revising notes regularly, and learning collaboratively with her twin brother.

By her later years, she developed advanced learning techniques, including visualising complex engineering concepts, which significantly improved comprehension. She credited her academic turnaround to deliberate sacrifices, including reduced screen time, limited social outings, and late-night study sessions. According to her, consistency mattered more than intensity, and progress was achieved through sustained effort.

One of the most challenging moments came during her 300-level Omega semester, where heavy coursework coincided with makeup examinations and administrative setbacks that temporarily affected her GPA. Despite external advice to settle for a lower academic target, she remained determined. That semester became a defining period that strengthened her resilience, strategic planning skills, and self-belief. From then on, her academic performance remained consistently outstanding.

She also acknowledged struggling with practical courses such as AutoCAD and electronics due to limited resources. With borrowed laptops, peer support, and mentorship, she overcame those challenges. She credited encouragement from lecturers, mentors, and academic supervisors for helping her maintain focus and confidence.

Faith, she noted, played a central role throughout her journey. Scriptures and spiritual discipline helped her manage exam anxiety, self-doubt, and pressure. She described faith as the anchor that sustained her through setbacks and strengthened her resolve to pursue excellence.

The moment she saw her final result was described as overwhelming and deeply fulfilling. Graduating with a first-class degree validated years of sacrifice, discipline, and perseverance. Her twin brother also graduated with a first-class degree in the same department, ranking among the top three students, making the achievement even more significant for their family.

Since graduation, she has focused on personal development and skill expansion. Drawing from her industrial training experience, she has continued to build competence in Python programming, software testing, digital marketing, and social media management. Her interest in artificial intelligence has grown, particularly in machine learning fundamentals, automation, and AI-driven problem-solving.

She is currently exploring career opportunities in engineering while developing complementary skills that align with Electrical and Computer Engineering. In addition, she is actively involved in social media strategy and content management, helping brands improve digital visibility through analytics, storytelling, and audience engagement.

Looking ahead, she plans to launch a startup that combines engineering, artificial intelligence, and business innovation. Her goal is to create scalable, technology-driven solutions with real-world impact.

Offering advice to students facing academic struggles, she encouraged them to stay focused on their purpose, seek mentorship, remain consistent, and view challenges as opportunities for growth. She also urged young girls interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to be confident and bold, stressing that women are excelling globally in STEM fields and should never limit themselves.

Her story stands as a powerful example of how discipline, persistence, and strategic learning can transform academic outcomes and open doors to high-impact careers in engineering, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies.