Abdallah Elsheikh Elmagzob, 23 years old, completed the 2021 Crossroads Emerging Leaders Program, now Aspire Leaders program. Born and raised in Khartoum, Sudan, Abdallah grew up passionate about humanitarian work and learning about other cultures. Although unsure of his future, he has goals of working either for the United Nations or pursuing an MBA or graduate degree in the humanities. and has his sights set on working for the United Nations or pursuing a graduate degree.
Since completing the Aspire Leaders Program, Abdallah graduated from University and has been preparing for The International English Language Test, which will be funded by an Aspire grant that he applied to through the Extended Leadership Opportunities program. He has also volunteered with a youth training and employment organization in Sudan.
When asked to reflect on his time in the program, Abdallah shared that the most impactful part was the quality of education and intellectual interaction. “I had rarely received this type of educational opportunity in Sudan. I was impressed by the seminars, the faculty, [and] the courses.”
The global perspective that the Aspire Leaders Program offers was particularly influential for Abdallah.
“It taught me to look beyond my surroundings and environment; I don’t need to restrict myself in regards to where I want to go and what I want to do”
He’s considering applying to pursue a masters abroad in Business Administration or Social Studies, eager to continue learning new languages and explore the humanities further.
“The Aspire Leaders program is a platform that exposed me to so many people who are not from Sudan. It was strange at first but as we got further into our sessions and got to know people more, the barriers began to disappear.” Abdallah found inspiration and kinship with his Aspire Leader peers, keeping in touch with them even now. “We were unified; all trying to be better versions of ourselves. Trying to make a difference. This unified spirit made the disparities disappear.”
When he isn’t studying, Abdallah loves watching anime movies, reading, and spending time on his own. He explains that he was not very social as a kid and that he spent time watching TV shows and movies and reading to learn about other cultures. Abdallah has always turned to movies and books to help him with his English too. “Literature is a major of interest of mine and its what drew me to study English and even Arabic literature; I love seeing how writers describe the most complicated feelings in the world.”“When you look outside, you get to see the world in an entirely new way,” he shares. “I don’t like to live in ignorance.”
