The first virtual Emerging Ismaili Professionals Network (IPN) Summit was held on August 16, 2020. This highly successful event included over 300 participants, 70 mentors, several inspiring keynote addresses, and teams of volunteers that came together to create a day full of motivation.
The Summit allowed emerging professionals to design their own experience and choose from various workshops, regional groups, career breakout rooms, and networking opportunities to align with their interests.
Sahil Maherali.jpg
The career breakout rooms featured mentors from healthcare, finance, consulting, engineering, public service, sales/marketing, and more. This interactive format enabled participants to network with highly experienced mentors and experts while inquiring about the particulars of the industry and learning from their mentors’ stories of success and failures.
Sahil Maherali, IPN’s National Lead for the Emerging Ismaili Professionals segment emphasized that the Summit’s collaborative structure catered to students who are more interested in having a conversation about their interests and being actively involved in the learning process. Similarly, Dr. Beenish Bhaidani, a physician at Adriatica Women’s Health and mentor for the healthcare industry, assured students that, “there is a comfort in knowing that someone else has gone through this process and you can reach out to them and ask.
The event also focused on giving participants a holistic view by focusing on personal and professional development. Mr. Chris Moreland, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Advocate at Vizient Inc. highlighted the importance of understanding an organization’s values around diversity. He spoke about being aware of our diversity and understanding where we are on the spectrum of awareness when faced with an uncomfortable situation surrounding inclusion and diversity.
Dr. Beenish Bhaidani
Zahra Sajwani, a participant, revealed that one of her key takeaways from the address was that diversity cannot exist without any inclusion and that it is crucial to research the company’s values beforehand for best practices.
The Summit also featured invaluable workshops on graduate schools, certifications, and recruiting practices during COVID-19. For example, Fayzan Gowani, an MBA Summer Intern at Apple, conducted a session on “Moving to a New City,” to further prepare the participants for any challenges they might face. They feel that “there are limited avenues to speak about the emotional and intellectual preparedness and readiness a person needs” for such transitions that may take place as the job industry evolves."
Participants such as Sani Ghulamani enjoyed these personal development sessions and expressed that these topics are not often discussed in our community. He thinks that these conversations are important for younger Ismailis to be aware of and obtain an educated viewpoint to address them in the future. Hence, this one-of-a-kind event revolutionized the way young emerging Ismaili professionals interacted within our community and strengthened the connections we have all over the world.
Sani Ghulamani
Asad Abdulla, the National Aga Khan Economic Planning Board Member for IPN and Alliances, said that it was fantastic and energizing to see Ismaili college students and recent graduates engage, learn, and develop during the event.
Lastly, mentor Dr. Beenish advises today’s emerging professionals by saying, “follow the path that matches up with you, even if it is a less traveled one. There is a very good chance that someone else will be following in your footsteps in the future!”
IPN thanks the keynote speakers, mentors, participants, volunteers, and everyone in our diverse community for providing young students and recent graduates with this opportunity.
Check out Ismaili Professionals Network at ipnonline.net and follow them on social media to remain updated on future events and get involved with our encouraging community.
