Awards & Honors
Research Grants &Awards
Throughout my academic journey, I have been fortunate to receive grants, fellowships, awards, and recognitions that support my research and acknowledge my contributions to teaching, scholarship, and community engagement.
Graduate College Post-Comprehensive Research Fellowship
Ugochukwu Madu Receives Competitive Post-Comprehensive Honour
Easton Collaborative Research Award
Ugochukwu received an Easton award to support his project, “Misinformation in Alt Medicine: Newsroom as a Solution to the Ọgbanje Myth in Nigeria.”
Stanley Fellowship for International Research
Meet the recipients of the 2024 Stanley Award for International Research
Graduate Engagement Corps (GEC) Research Award
Ugochukwu Madu was among the recipients of the competitive Graduate Engagement Corps (GEC) Research Award for the 2024–2025 cohort.
Student Impact Award
Ph. D. student Ugochukwu Madu received the Student Impact Grant for his project Ọgbanje – the Sickle Cell Disease Misinformation in Nigeria: Media as a SOURCEtainable Solution.
John F. Murray Doctoral Summer Fellowship
Ugochukwu Madu bags doctoral teaching award in US
Awards, Honors, & Recognitions
Top Paper Award, National Communication Association (NCA), Peace & Conflict Communication Division
Paper: “Addressing Healthcare Barriers of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through Solidarity Journalism and Stakeholder Partnerships”
John F. Murray Outstanding Doctoral Student in Teaching (2026)
For outstanding performance as a Teaching Assistant and Instructor of Record
1stGen@Iowa Award for First-Generation Student Achievement (2024-2025)
Awarded by the University of Iowa Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. This award recognizes one first-generation undergraduate and one first-generation graduate student each year who have demonstrated a strong commitment to academic excellence, pursued and achieved ambitious goals, and made tremendous, far-reaching community impact.
3x SJMC Certificate of Recognition Recipient (2024, 2025, 2026)
ISAB Recognition Award (April 2024)
Awarded by the International Student Advisory Board for service on the Graduate board as the Communications Director
Engagement, Service & Advocacy Award (April 2024)
Awarded by The University of Iowa International Programs at the Spring 2024 International Student Graduation Ceremony.
Most Inspirational Personality of the Year on LinkedIn (Academia Category) (2023)
Awarded by the Digital Career Skills Initiative for Africa (DCSI Africa)
Most Influential Corps Member of the Year (2022)
Issued by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Benue State, for commitment to teaching, research, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocacy
British Council Global Top 100 Young Journalists (2021)
Selected as a Fellow and Delegate to attend the Future News Worldwide Summit out of 2,000+ applicants
Joint Best Graduating Student in Mass Communication, Ebonyi State University (2019)
I was among the top 1% of my cohort and one of only two students to achieve a First-Class GPA (Highest Distinction) out of 135 Mass Communication graduates. I ranked in the top 0.3% of 1,924 graduates across 87 programs and was the university’s 4th Best Graduating Student in the Class of 2019.
Overall Best Graduating Pupil, St. Winifred’s Primary School, Ihugh, Nigeria (2006)
In addition to receiving 6 other subject-specific awards, I was the valedictorian for the class of 2006.