Starting Strong: Exploring the Future of Education
On July 17, we welcomed the second cohort of African Leadership University (ALU) students to the Carnegie Foundation for the 2023 Global Leadership Program. During their first week, student participants gained key insights and strategies to examine the future of education, as they identified gaps and opportunities for innovation in the rapidly changing educational landscape. Students engaged in various ideation sessions, workshops, guest masterclasses, and more, which gave them an opportunity to learn from education innovation leaders, venture capital investors, startup entrepreneurs, and researchers, among other experts. Students also participated in fireside chat conversations with executives from companies, such as Learn to Win, Level 42 AI, and Terra Education, to ask these leaders questions about starting, developing, and scaling companies for social impact.
“It’s been a week already in Silicon Valley, immersed in peer group sessions, expert talks, and company visits. In our recent fireside chat with Steve Seleznow, former President and CEO of the Arizona Community Foundation, and Liz Berry Gips, a Venture Partner at Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, we delved into the critical topic of ‘What do funders look for when investing in EdTech companies?’ Listening to both speakers, we gained so much invaluable insights into the world of EdTech investments and the indispensable role of a good leader in driving success and impact” —David Mubita, BA (Hons), International Business and Trade, Zambia. Read more about David’s experience on LinkedIn.
Further, students embarked on two exciting site visits to Netflix and the Skoll Foundation. During these visits, students engaged with Netflix Founder Reed Hastings and Skoll Foundation CEO Don Gips to hear their leadership stories and advice for aspiring entrepreneurial leaders like themselves. These visits provided a unique learning opportunity for students to interface with and learn from innovative teams at both companies.
“At Skoll Foundation, former ambassador to South Africa under former POTUS Barack Obama, Don Gips, shared invaluable insights about the Future and potential of Africa, based on his vast and diverse experience in government. The 4Fs he emphasized – Family, Fulfillment, Fun, and Financial – really struck a chord [for me] as guiding pillars in a young person’s life”—Samuel Omondi, BSc (Hons), Software Engineering, Kenya. Read more about Samuel’s experience on LinkedIn.
“At Netflix, Chairman and Co-founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings shared invaluable insights on the company’s inception and growth to date. It was inspiring to see the degree of innovation, resilience, and passion that has translated into establishing the company as a global leader in entertainment. He emphasized the need to anticipate technological advancements and continually stay ahead of the curve. Another highlight of the visit was an in-depth tour of the Netflix Quality Control and Engineering Department. I was fascinated by the amount of work that goes into ensuring high standards for audio, video, and the overall viewer experience across a wide range of user devices. This experience has greatly shaped my approach to customer-centricity,” —Ruth Kerubo Nyarindo, BSc (Hons), Electrical Power Systems Engineering, Kenya. Read more about Ruth’s experience on LinkedIn.
We at the Carnegie Foundation continue to be awestruck by the wisdom, poise, and curiosity of these young leaders.
Thank you to our partner organizations for their collaboration in creating meaningful learning experiences for students engaged in the Global Leadership Program.
