Aspire Leaders Program alumni recently gathered for an event hosted by Özlem Denizmen, a prominent Turkish businesswoman and entrepreneur, in Istanbul, Turkey. Over 35 alumni and special guests attended this event, including notable people in the fields of politics, finance, economics, and engineering. Aspire Institute’s CEO, Meena Sonea, and Professor Can Erbil, the Middle East Regional Faculty Advisor and Professor of Economics at Boston College, spoke to all attendees while visiting Turkey last month, adding to its significance.
This interactive session offered alumni a unique opportunity to engage with our CEO and industry leaders, gain valuable perspectives, and learn about current advancements in various fields. Attendees also discovered several new opportunities for professional growth and networking.
“My favorite moment of the event was meeting [Meena] Sonea in person and also seeing Prof. Erbil again,” Baran Örnek, a 2022 Aspire Leaders Program alumnus, reflected. “I had met Prof. Erbil last January, and seeing him once more felt truly heartwarming.”
Aspire Institute Plans to Grow In-Country Presence in Turkey
One of the key conversations of the event centered around the intention to establish a Foundry in Turkey, as announced by Aspire Institute’s CEO Meena Sonea. This initiative aims to support alumni with local mentorship and internship opportunities while engaging the rapidly growing Aspire Leaders Program participant and alumni community in Turkey. The Foundry will foster ongoing professional development for alumni, addressing inequalities faced by first-generation students.
“Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not,” Erbil emphasized.
Building Connections
The event also bridged generations of alumni, showcasing Aspire’s ongoing support beyond the Aspire Leaders Program. Newer members learned about Extended Leadership Programs, such as the STEAM Fellowship experienced by Nisa Turgut and the Community Action Award that helped Şeyma Kara, a 2020 alumna, establish the EaseTogether platform.
No matter where I’m from or what I believe, Aspire showed me that opportunities are all around.
These inspiring stories and future plans roused hope and ambition among the attendees. “No matter where I’m from or what I believe, Aspire showed me that opportunities are all around,” Hamza Khan, a 2023 Aspire Leaders Program alumnus, said. This feeling resonated with the crowd. When asked to describe the impact Aspire Institute has had on them, alumni attendees enthusiastically responded with words like “courage,” “hope,” “doing the best with surrounding resources,” “vision,” “community,” “leadership,” and “freedom.”
In Turkey, where universities rarely recognize “first-generation university students,” the Aspire Leaders Program stands out by nurturing peer-to-peer networks and connections. This acknowledgment of generational background has instilled a sense of community among the alumni.
“As a first-generation university student, I had never thought of myself that way before,” Melis Berfin Karatas, a 2024 Aspire Leaders Program alumna expressed. “I felt that Aspire Institute recognized me and my struggles shared with the community.”
Post-event, the alumni established a communication channel to exchange ideas and stay connected. This demonstrates the alumni’s commitment to nurturing Aspire’s efforts in Turkey and fostering long-lasting engagement with each other and the Institute. This event acted as a catalyst for hope and inspiration for the future.
“I felt immensely excited about the future of our Aspire community,” Örnek said. “Promising developments are on the horizon, marking the beginning of significant progress.”
