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Alumni Stories
Educational Leadership in Egypt: Asaf Nady’s Mission to Make Opportunity Accessible
Educational Leadership in Egypt comes to life through Asaf Nady (ALP ’24), who turned rejection into reform. From a small village in Upper Egypt, Nady founded ScholarX, a youth-led enterprise that has empowered more than 15,000 students with mentorship, training, and scholarship access.
Diego León ALP ‘25 Empowers the Next Generation through Accessible Tech Education
Diego León, a 2025 ALP alumnus from Bolivia, draws from past experience to help those interested in technology access greater opportunities for growth through his initiative, Tech for People.
Bolivia Foundry Strengthens Networks: Aspire Institute CEO Joins Alumni Events in Santa Cruz and La Paz
When Aspire Institute CEO Meena Sonea visited Bolivia this September, she witnessed firsthand the strength of the Aspire alumni network. From cultural events in La Paz and El Alto, the visit highlighted how Aspire’s Bolivia Foundry has become a hub of leadership, partnership, and alumni-led initiatives.
Beryl Mungai ALP ‘23 Breaks Down Mental Health Stigma by Supporting Kenyan Youth
Mungai turned childhood challenges into purpose, founding New Beginnings Kwa Ground to break mental health stigma in Kenya and support Kenyan youth through her Aspire funded project.
Rooted in Tradition, Focused on the Future: Gustavo Blanco ALP ’23 Creates Sustainable Environmental Solutions Using Indigenous Wisdom
Connected to his Aymara heritage, Gustavo Blanco explores how Indigenous knowledge can offer sustainable solutions to today’s environmental challenges.
Howard Graduate from Rural Arkansas, Lamar Danley ALP ‘24 Hopes His First-Gen Journey Inspires Others
Danley hopes to secure freedoms and rights as a lawyer and educational advocate for all people in the United States while showcasing that folks like himself from low-income backgrounds and rural areas can achieve more than they ever imagined.
2025 Community Action Award Winners: Leading Local Change in Communities Worldwide
Learn more about Aspire Leaders Program alumni's Community Action Award projects driving social impact in 11 countries worldwide.
First-Gen Notre Dame Graduate, Raphael Banuelos ALP ’23, Finds Purpose Through Community Connection
Rafa Banuelos, 2023 Aspire Leaders Program alum, continues to give back to each community he is a part of and find the support he needs to continue to grow personally and professionally.
Nowshin Arafa ALP ‘25 Feels Inspired to Support Her Community in Bangladesh
A first-generation student from Bangladesh, Nowshin Arafa feels more driven to support her community after the Aspire Leaders Program.
Joseline Valdez Rojas, ALP ‘24, Empowers Women in STEM and Encourages Young Learners to Seek Out Opportunities
First-generation student from Mexico, Joseline Valdez Rojas, advocates for women in STEM and collaborates with Aspire Institute to share opportunities for young learners in Latin American.
Ashley Jaye Milag ALP ’24 Embraces Intersecting Identities to Find Her Voice as a First-Generation Filipino Leader
As an Aspire Senior Community Moderator and university graduate, Milag exemplifies authentic leadership as they develop themselves, create social impact, and prepare for a consulting career.
Ryan Conston ALP ’21 Shares His First-Gen Story & Aims to Transform Preventative Health in Rural Communities
First-generation college graduate Ryan Conston, an Aspire Leaders Program alum from Arkansas, aims to transform rural communities through preventative healthcare.
2024 STEAM Fellows Develop Innovative Research Projects in Their Communities
Learn more about the 2024 STEAM Fellowship and the amazing alumni-led research.
2024 Social Impact Seed Fund Awardees Drive Change in Communities Worldwide
Learn more about the 2024 Social Impact Seed Fund (SISF) winners' innovative projects around the world.
Rafael Borba, ALP ’24, Applies Medicine and Leadership in an Innovative Initiative for Dementia Prevention in Brazil
Borba received Social Impact Seed Fund to implement his dementia prevention initiative in Brazil.
Sarai Hernández ALP ‘23 Seeks and Creates Opportunities in Scientific Innovation and Bioentrepreneurship
Sarai Hernández, a 2023 Aspire Leaders Program alumna from El Salvador, discovered her passion agrobiotechnology engineering, bioinformatics, synthetic biology, and as a science communicator.
Baran Örnek ALP ‘22 Pursues Passions in Environmentalism and Climate Activism
Baran Örnek, 2022 Aspire Leaders Program alumnus and university student from Turkey, leads youth-led climate activism and hopes to continue a career in environmentalism.
Bryan Zapata, ALP ‘22, Works to Connect Communities and Bring Together a Divided World
Aspire Leaders Program alumnus Bryan Zapata shares his journey from a humble upbringing to becoming a global change-maker.
Linda Fraga ALP ‘20 Draws on Creativity in her Journey to Leave a Legacy of Positive Impact
Linda Fraga, an Aspire alumna from Brazil, utilizes her creative skills to carve out her own space in the professional world and social impact sphere.
Josiah Muriuki ALP ‘23 Drives Change Through Mentorship and Gives Back to His Community in Kenya
Determined to build a better life, Josiah Muriuki pursued higher education and founded BetterMentor Africa, a mentorship initiative for youth across Africa.
Pelin Çılgın ALP ‘22 Seeks Opportunities to Pursue Passions in Film
Pelin Çılgın’s passion for language and film drives them to continuously seek out opportunities to achieve their dreams.
Rohit Kushwaha ALP ’23 Transforms Lives of Youth With Disabilities in India
Aspire Leaders Program alumnus and Community Action Award winner creates a school to develop vocational skills in disabled youth in Ghaziabad, India.
Michelle Nagawa ALP ‘22 Inspires Change as a Ugandan Social Impact Leader, Mentor, Writer, and Mother
Michelle Nagawa completed the Aspire Leaders Program in 2023 and receiving funding to pursue a transformative project in the Katanga slum area of Uganda. She continues to balance her roles as a social entrepreneur, mentor, writer, geospatial analyst, and mother.
Edith Lozano Perez ALP ‘22 Finds her “Seat At the Table” by Exploring Opportunities and Overcoming Doubts
Aspire alumna gained a sense of belonging in her field after guidance from expert Boston bioengineers as part of her iGEM Design League contest grand prize.
