As well as our biennial reunions on campus, we have also organised reunions for alumni and other supporters in London, Helsinki, Malmö, Reykjavik, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Oslo, Stockholm, in recent years and are planning an event in Costa Rica this April. The RCN University Office is an important part of our alumni engagement – supporting graduating students in choosing the right course and university and then staying in touch with them. Mark, our Senior University Counsellor, was recently visiting Case Western Reserve University – a partner university in the Davis UWC Scholar Program – along with other UWC university counsellors. Mark took the opportunity to meet up with recent alumni Akinola (Daniel) Akinbote (Nigeria – 2013-15) and Aya Bahij (Palestine in Lebanon – 2013-15).
Akinola is majoring in Polymer Science and Engineering with a Bio Materials track, which is essentially a minor Bio Engineering. He has already taken advantage of Case Western’s undergraduate research opportunities having done some research into breast cancer in his first year. Over that summer, he worked with the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa. Next summer he will be doing stem cell research alongside regenerative medicine.
Aya is majoring in Chemical Biology with minors in Cognitive Science and Economics. Aya has also joined a sorority at university, through which she does a lot of volunteering. Building on her personal experiences on arrival, she has taken the lead in the implementation of airport pickup for students, improving the international orientation, a Middle East Club and a discussion group on the human rights of Palestinians.
