Although it has been a few years since he graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Alqaim Lalani, Class of 2019, says his years at the Academy had a major bearing on his academic career and strongly influenced his outlook on life. Now, as a graduate of Columbia University in New York, Alqaim is giving back to the Aga Khan Academies community that he says shaped his life and gave him so much.

Originally from Tanzania, Alqaim was actively involved in the Academy’s community. As a dorm captain in the residential programme, he learnt time-management skills, maturity and developed strong work ethics. He also gained a passion for positively contributing to his communities, which could be seen in the social enterprise he founded as a student called “Tumaini la Maisha Cancer Initiative”, which supports economically disadvantaged children suffering from cancer to raise money from crafts they make to subsidise their own care. His efforts gained widespread recognition in Tanzania, where he was named one of the ‘Most Influential Young Tanzanians’ for his achievements in social enterprise and philanthropy.  

However, upon entering university, Alqaim discovered a new passion: mentoring students during their university application process. Since he began his undergraduate studies in 2019, Alqaim mentored International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme 1 and 2 Academies students, who he believes “are at a very critical stage in their lives,” because they are at the juncture of shifting from school to university. 

“Transitioning from high school to university can be daunting, given the pressures to choose what you want to study, partake in activities and internships and ultimately determine how you want to start your career – all in the span of a few very consequential years,” Alqaim said. 

Alqaim’s interest in wanting to mentor stems from his own experience at Columbia, where he was introduced to an alumni network and inclusive student community. He soon learnt that Columbia and some other universities actively supported first-year students in selecting courses, applying for campus societies and recruiting for selective careers.  

“Even before stepping foot on campus, I was being supported by a community committed to my success, enabling me to transition quite seamlessly once I arrived on campus,” he says. 

Alqaim knew he wanted to pay it forward and ensure other students felt this level of support. To date, Alqaim has mentored 11 Academies students from Mombasa and Hyderabad across varying aspects of the university application process. From building a shortlist of institutions that meet their academic and financial needs to approaching standardised tests with confidence and ultimately bringing their authentic self forward when voicing their achievements and background. 

One of the students who benefitted from Alqaim’s mentorship is Ayaan Dewani, Class of 2023 from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, who is studying at Boston University with a full-ride scholarship. 

"I am incredibly grateful for the invaluable assistance I received from Alqaim during my university application process,” Ayaan said. “His guidance and support were instrumental in helping me navigate the complex and often overwhelming journey toward higher education. He took the time to understand my interests, strengths and aspirations and then provided tailored advice on which universities would be the best fit for me. His insights were spot-on, and he helped me create a well-rounded list of target schools that aligned with my academic and personal goals.” 

Considering it a privilege to work with students, Alqaim believes he, too, is benefitting from his mentoring. 

“Serving as a mentor has helped improve my leadership skills, exposed me to new perspectives and consolidated lessons I previously learnt,” Alqaim said. “I believe the true value of mentorship lies in eliciting self-reflection and critical thinking from the mentee, rather than simply rearticulating one’s own experience.” 

Although he is currently working in financial services, Alqaim continues to support Academies students through this journey by working with them to find internships and jobs that appeal to their talents, and helping them foster the transition from student to working professional by connecting them to other alumni a part of the Aga Khan Academies Alumni Association.  

“My experience at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa has been pivotal in my life,” Alqaim says. 

Jemin Patel’s journey to where he is now is the result of hard work and passion, values he picked up during his time at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. Yet his story started sometime before this, when he was selected to attend the large, 100-acre Academy through a full scholarship.  

Growing up, Jemin’s access to quality education was very limited. The Class of 2018’s alumnus grew up in the small town of Madhapur, Kutch and attended a government school with limited resources and poor quality of education. However, in 2013, Jemin was selected to join the Academy through its Talent Identification Programme, which provides exceptional students with an international-standard education and leadership opportunities, regardless of their ability to pay. This would prove to be an exciting journey for Jemin; however, it also came with its challenges.  

Starting in the Academy as a Grade 8 student, Jemin felt all the nervousness of moving to a new place and starting at a new school. He felt out of place, not knowing whether he would succeed. Although he knew this would be difficult, he embraced the notion of working hard, instead of working smarter.  

“I’ve learnt that hard work always wins,” he said. “People say, ‘work smart, not hard’. I could not disagree more. Working smart makes you efficient, whereas working hard with a focused mindset makes you a high performer.”  

During his time at the Academy, Jemin focused on fulfilling one of his biggest goals: speaking and thinking in fluent English. He used several shows including, Shark Tank, Friends and How I Met Your Mother to pick up phrases, expressions and the flow of language. He also discovered a love of music through listening to Taylor Swift, Troye Sivan, Vance Joy, Imagine Dragons and many more. Alongside fulfilling goals and self-discovery, the Academy became a second home for Jemin, who still recalls the “heated but harmless” debates he had with his friends during meals – one of his favourite moments at the Academy. Another fond memory for Jemin was finding out he had received a scholarship to the Schulich School of Business at York University in Canada through the support he got from the Academy’s university counselling department. He remembers collapsing in tears, hugging every person he saw including teachers, students and guards.  

After accepting the scholarship, Jemin started his new life in Canada, which consisted of new friends, classes, environments and much more. However, in this life, Jemin was also able to own his queer identity. Deciding to keep this private at the Academy, he started to embrace his authentic self while at university, which led him to create several foundations for LGBTQ+ students at Schulich. From a student-led club called Schulich Pride Alliance to a nationwide pride conference with over 33 corporate sponsors and 100+ delegates, Jemin successfully created a space to support other queer students as he did not want anyone else to struggle finding their place. Now, the nationwide pride conference – known as SPECTRUM – takes place every year, which Jemin is proud to call his legacy.  

Although it has been five years since he graduated, Jemin continues to visit the Academy to coach and interact with students. He expressed how he felt like a big brother passing on the torch and imparting wisdom he would have loved to have during his time at the Academy. During his most recent visit, Jemin met the founder of the newly formed SAGE (Sexuality and Gender Expression) club at the Academy and felt so proud of the students. 

Now, working at one of Canada’s top accounting and consulting firms, Ernst & Young, specialising in audit and assurance services, Jemin still stands by the notion, “hard work always wins.” 

“It’s not about perfection, it’s about striving for excellence,” he said. “Putting in a focused and genuine effort into everything you do is all that matters.” 

Interview conducted by DP2 student Samhitha Paruchuri from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad.