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Developing Whole Leaders for the whole World

Excellence: ORU Alum Favour Ikome Living Up To Quest Goals

favour ikomeFavour Ikome was attending a community college in California when she remembered hearing about Oral Roberts University through a book written by its founder. She did some research and decided ORU was where she wanted to go, but without a scholarship, it wouldn’t be possible. Stepping out in faith, she competed for and received the top Quest scholarship award. As a Communication major, she was already thinking about the future and how she could someday help other young women in Africa who were struggling as she had to get an education, lift themselves out of poverty, and become leaders.

In 2013, she was serving as the outreach leader at Tulsa Hope Academy. Returning to her dorm from the academy one day, she asked God, “Why do I have the Whole Person Scholarship? Why do I have this opportunity to come to Oral Roberts University? Why me?” God answered, “Because I want you to do the same thing for other people.”

Just a few months after graduating summa cum laude, she was hired by Every Nation Church in New York City. While on the job, she still wanted to do more to carry out God’s calling on her life. She launched Raising a Generation of Esthers (RGE) and within a year, the foundation was awarding scholarships to young women in Cameroon—where it costs $100 per year to attend college. The scholarships are modeled after the Quest scholarship. RGE also sponsors an annual women’s conference called “Beautiful You.” Ikome teaches a women’s group once a month at the United Nations headquarters and is a brand ambassador for SALUD hair and body products, all while continuing to serve at Every Nation. In addition, she is the Board Secretary for LEAD Missions International, an organization that raises up servant-leaders who will effect change in their communities and nations.

When Ikome was interviewed during her sophomore year at ORU and asked what being a whole person meant to her, she responded: “Being a whole person isn’t just about being whole for yourself or for your family, but it’s about being whole to make other people whole. That’s what Jesus did.” Donors who supported the program, she added, were “giving us an opportunity to go and change the world, to change other people’s worlds and to bring them to Christ.”

Her work and ministry experiences post-graduation reinforce the value of the Quest Scholarship—not just to her, but to other recipients.

“We are able to serve people in different spheres of influence,” she says now. “The Quest Whole Person Scholarship equips ORU students to be able to bridge gaps that exist between different people groups.” And that’s what it will take to change the world.

Gifts to the Quest fund are matched dollar-for-dollar. To give, go to oru.edu/give.

[Note: This article is featured in our Fall 2018 issue of Excellence magazine. To read the complete issue online, go here.]

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