Michigan Sea Grant has announced that Master of Engineering Management candidate Ola Ayeni has been named a finalist for the 2025 class of the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship.
The Knauss program matches graduate students and recent graduates with host agencies in Washington, D.C., such as congressional offices, the National Marine Fisheries Service, or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For one year, fellows work on a range of policy and management projects related to ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources. Fellows can be placed in the federal, legislative or executive branches.
After spending six years as a network infrastructure engineer and another six as an environmentalist and circular economy practitioner in Nigeria, Ayeni wanted to strengthen her skills in sustainability and leadership. This led her to pursue a master’s in engineering management at Michigan Tech — a program where she could combine her technical expertise with managerial insights.
In addition to being a graduate student, Ayeni is also the founder of a social enterprise called Hopcyku, which won the Social Impact Award during the 2024 Bob Mark Pitch Competition. Hopcyku’s work focuses on waste diversion and pollution prevention through the principles of the circular economy.
Ayeni’s passion for sustainability and waste management perfectly aligns with broader environmental conservation goals, which inspired her to apply for the Knauss Sea Grant Fellowship. She is honored to join over 1,680 fellows who have, over the program’s 45-year history, significantly contributed to environmental policy and management, building impactful careers in national policy making.
Ayeni is also deeply thankful to Sarah Isaacson (GS) for providing unwavering guidance and support throughout the Knauss Fellowship application process. Isaacson’s commitment ensured Ayeni had everything she needed to succeed. She would also like to express her gratitude to Robert Hutchinson (COB) for his recommendation and ongoing support throughout her time in Houghton.
Read more in the Michigan Sea Grant press release.