News
Building Community, One Connection at a Time: Aspire Institute’s Mexico City Gathering
Aspire Institute’s first Mexico City gathering proved the demand for community among first-generation professionals—and marked the foundation of Aspire’s newest Foundry. What began as an event became the starting point for a lasting local hub of connection, leadership, and opportunity.
Aspire Alumni: Regional Finalists in Stanford’s Global Sustainability Challenge
8 Aspire Alumni compete in regional finals of Stanford's Global Sustainability Challenge for a chance to win $35,000.
First Gen Day in Peru: Celebrating Resilience, Creating Community
First Gen Day Peru 2025 marked the country’s first national celebration honoring first-generation university and professional students. The event brought together leaders, institutions, and youth to highlight opportunity, community, and the power of First Gen identity to transform lives and open doors.
2026 Aspire Leaders Program: What’s New?
We have exciting updates to the Aspire Leaders Program that will expand our network, offerings, and opportunities for our learners.
Sháka Rasheed, General Partner at Open Opportunity Fund, Overcomes Early Challenges to Open Doors for Marginalized Entrepreneurs
Open Opportunity Fund's Sháka Rasheed shared his story with ALP learners and how early experiences shaped his overall career and values.
Gabriel Kwaku Agbeshie ALP ’25 Provides Essential Eye Care to Children in Ghana, Supporting Their Health and Future Success
Agbeshie transformed his struggles with undiagnosed myopia into impact, creating an eye-screening initiative that provides early detection, education, and glasses for children in Ghana.
Global Mentorship Initiative and Aspire Institute Expand Career Opportunities for Underserved Youth Worldwide
GMI connects underserved youth with dedicated mentors who provide career guidance. Together, we're expanding access to mentoring, skill-building opportunities, and support in achieving their career goals.
Insights from EmpowerEd: Aspire’s First Career Readiness Conference
What does career readiness actually mean in 2025? At Aspire's EmpowerEd conference, 2,000+ first-generation students joined global leaders and walked away with 7 practical insights for navigating an uncertain job market.
Bridging the Gap: How Traditional Finance Can Learn from Digital Asset Innovation
The principles behind the crypto and blockchain space — ownership, inclusion, and education — offer great lessons for those navigating traditional finance.
Fueling Hope and Innovation: Meet The 2025 Seed Fund Winners
Learn more about the 2025 Seed Fund winners' innovative projects around the world.
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.
Aspire CEO Strengthens Networks with Bolivian Alumni and Aspire Co-Founder Creates Incubation Space with Alumni in Türkiye
In September, Aspire CEO Meena Sonea visited alumni in Bolivia, strengthening networks, and Aspire co-founder Tarun Khanna created an incubation space with alumni in Türkiye.
Aspire Co-Founder and HBS Professor Tarun Khanna Emphasizes the Importance of Building Human Capital at NDTV World Summit 2025
Professor Khanna, joined by Aspire alumni, discussed on how strategic investments in science, technology, and human capital are essential for defining India's path to a fully sovereign and developed nation by 2047.
Isaac Mwebazemukama ALP ’25 Transforms Sustainability and Youth Empowerment in Uganda Through Leaf Lives Africa
Isaac Mwebazemukama drives change in Uganda through his initiative promoting sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, and community empowerment.
Paulaska Ramirez, Founder of Generation Fearless, Empowers First-Generation Women to Belong Everywhere
Aspire mentor Paulaska Ramirez empowers first-generation women to thrive in their careers while driving meaningful change within their own communities.
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.
Embracing Global Perspectives to Unlock Leadership Potential
This October, we recognize Global Diversity Awareness Month and provide the main reasons why global communities and awareness allow emerging leaders to be more effective and future-ready.
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.
Women in Turkish Cinema Leadership: Esra Kars’ Journey From Law to Film Criticism
From law to lens, Esra Kars (ALP’24) has built a career at the intersection of film, social impact, and leadership. Born in Ankara and trained as a lawyer, she found her calling in cinema, first through criticism and writing, then in festival programming. Today, her work amplifies women filmmakers and strengthens international connections, most recently as a Talent Press critic at the Sarajevo Film Festival.
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.
LMI East Africa Partners with Aspire Institute to Develop The Leadership Potential of African Talent
Leadership Management International East Africa brings corporate social responsibility and practical leadership development together in their partnership with Aspire Institute.
Navigating the New Job Landscape: A First-Gen Guide to Smarter Job Hunting From Spotly
Spotly partners with Aspire Institute to offer career guidance and tools to our alumni. Explore their tips for first-gen students when navigating our current job landscape.
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.
New Partnership with Wichay Continental Expands Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Latin American Students
With a shared belief that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not, Aspire Institute and Wichay Continental partner to expand access to leadership and entrepreneurial development opportunities among youth across the Americas.
