Temilade Adelakun
2025-2026 University of Chicago Scholar

Nigeria
Impact Strategy Lead, Empowered Africa
Empowering underprivileged girls in Africa to become leaders and innovators in STEM by expanding access to education, mentorship, and digital resources
Temilade Adelakun is an experienced product leader and digital transformation strategist passionate about shaping the future of innovation, building inclusive ecosystems that connect people and platforms. With experience at Google, Microsoft and high-growth startups, she has led product and innovation strategy initiatives that drive adoption, unlock access, and deliver impactful results. Temilade is committed to creating pathways for girls to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in Nigeria. Through her volunteer work with organizations like Women in Engineering (WIE), STEMBelle and Google Women Techmakers, Temilade has mentored over 1,200 young girls through bootcamps, workshops, and hands-on projects in coding, robotics, and engineering design. As a Scholar, Temilade plans to refine her skills in partnerships and stakeholder management to scale her work through sustainable partnerships with local organizations and tech companies. Her goal is to expand the reach of her current programs to rural communities in Northern Nigeria and Ghana, reducing barriers to make STEM education accessible to all.
More University of Chicago Scholars
More About the Scholars Program

More About the Scholars Program
The Obama Foundation Scholars program gives rising leaders from around the world who are already making a difference in their communities the opportunity to take their work to the next level.
Learn More