Category: Faculty and Mentor Spotlights
Caroline Elkins’ Journey from First-Generation Student to Harvard Academic
Professor Elkins shares her journey from a low-income, first-generation college student to becoming a prominent academic figure and Pulitzer prize winner.
Aspire Mentor Rajkiran Kanagala Encourages Alumni to “Be B.A.T.M.A.N.”
Kanagala gave advice to alumni that he learned from his own journey and the stories of his favorite heroes. He encouraged them to "Be B.A.T.M.A.N."
Faculty Spotlight: David Sanderson Listens to Local Voices to Make an Impact
David Sanderson emphasizes the importance of listening to local voices to make an impact in communities around the world.
Mentor Spotlight: Jonathan Kempner Inspires Alumni to Broaden Their Horizons
During his Career Week session, Jonathan Kempner encouraged Aspire alumni to live a life full of integrity, exploration, and hard work to broaden their horizons.
Mentor Spotlight: Sangeeta Gupta Speaks On the Importance of Diversity in the Workplace
Sangeeta Gupta shared her story as a woman in STEM with Aspire alumni. She has dedicated her life to making the technology industry an inclusive place for everyone and felt inspired by the alumni as they all shared honestly about the importance of diversity.
Faculty Spotlight: Professor Sanyal Encourages Reflection Among Youth and Aspire Leaders Program Participants
Dr. Sanyal believes that youth are a key element to making cities better. He emphasizes the importance of motivating youth to help them achieve their goals and prepare them to lead change.
Aspire Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Michael Vortmann Believes Young, Passionate Leaders Can Make a Difference in Healthcare Around the World
Dr. Vortmann has worked with diverse communities in nations around the globe and led a faculty seminar for the Aspire Leaders Program on basic emergency medicine skills everyone should know.
Aspire Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Despina Sanoudou Cites Her Work with Youth as Her Most Meaningful Contribution
Dr. Sanoudou, a leader in the field of pharmacogenomics, feels honored to have had a role in the origin of genomics and hopes her story inspires Aspire Leaders Program participants to pursue their passions.
Aspire Faculty Spotlight: Doris Sommer Encourages Balance Between Purpose And Passion
Professor Doris Sommer will return to lead two faculty seminars in the 2023 Aspire Leaders Program. She inspires young adults to harness their passion and find their purpose.
Aspire Faculty Spotlight: Can Erbil Strives to Create Value for the Next Generation
Can Erbil, Boston College Economics Professor and Turkey Regional Faculty Advisor for Aspire Institute, specializes in bridging the gap between developmental economic theory and applied practice.
Aldahir Caballero Believes in the Potential of Young Leaders
Professor Aldahir Caballero, a specialist in business, alliances and innovation, has worked with youth for 10 years, teaching them the fundamentals of creating, defining and managing a new business through the use of innovative tools and methodologies. He is confident the Aspire alumni will continue to be leaders.
Aspire Faculty Spotlight: Sérgio G. Lazzarini Encourages Thoughtful Debate to Address Pressing Problems
Professor Lazzarini delivers an engaging seminar on Privatizations and stresses the importance of calm and thoughtful debate among Aspire Leaders in Training.
Aspire Faculty Spotlight: Diane Davis Admires Global Consciousness and Curiosity
Professor Davis discussed how sociology helps address global challenges. The first in her family to pursue a graduate degree, she felt moved by the curiosity among Aspire learners.
Aspire Faculty Advisor Patricio del Sol Impressed by Motivation to Learn
Patricio del Sol, professor and consultant on business strategy, shared his awe of the curiosity and eagerness to learn in the virtual Aspire classroom.
Professor Frances Frei Feels Hopeful About the Next Generation After Interaction with Aspire Leaders
Thought leader on leadership strategy, Frances Frei, delivered a seminar for Aspire leaders on building and rebuilding trust. She left left impressed by the nuanced questions and comments.
Aspire Leaders Program Faculty Seminar Professor on his Journey and Motivations as a First-Generation College Student
Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech and one of the faculty who will deliver a seminar for the Aspire Leaders Program, Bansal discusses the importance of exploration and lifelong learning.
Cal Poly’s Don Choi Shares his Reflections on Teaching Low-Income and First-Generation Students
Don Choi, professor of architectural history at Cal Poly and one of the 14 faculty to deliver a faculty seminar for the Aspire Leaders Program Cycle One cohort, explains his drive for teaching and the joy of working with students from diverse backgrounds.
Faculty Seminar Spotlight: Business Strategy Professor Discusses Making an Impact
On April 27th Professor Jasjit Singh met with the 2022 Aspire Leaders Program Cycle One cohort to deliver a seminar on Pursuing Impactful Careers, encouraging students to use their strengths and passions to address societal needs without ignoring the realities of their personal contexts.
Leadership Guru, Ron Heifetz, Delivers ALP Required Course
The compulsory EdX course in stage 2 that earns Aspire Leaders Program 2022 participants a fully-funded HarvardX certificate is Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles taught by Harvard professor Ronald Heifetz.
Khanna’s ‘Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies’ is recognized as one of the 250 most popular HarvardX courses of all time
One of the most popular offerings through the Aspire Leaders Program, this course is an element of the ‘Something-for-Everyone’ model. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and solving complex social problems.
