Gladys Ngetich

"Keep stretching beyond the comfort zone."

"I wish I had been told to worry less, that what I needed more than anything else was a curious mind."

"If I hadn’t pursued excellence, none of this would have happened"

"When you don’t have anyone in high places to speak your name or open doors for you, your best bet is to take a chance on excellence, God, and a bit of luck"

"He would spend time looking up scholarships and master’s programmes abroad. I had never thought of leaving the country, let alone furthering my studies"

"I didn’t think I stood a chance, but I applied anyway, and to my surprise, I was one of only two Kenyans selected in 2015"

"I was intrigued, but I was also terrified. Could I go from an undergraduate degree in Kenya to pursuing a PhD in engineering at one of the world's top universities? I barely had any research experience"

"His words stuck with me: 'It will be a steep learning curve, but you'll manage.' That was all the encouragement I needed to take the leap,"