MIT Emerging Talent

What a fantastic way to end the year! with a celebration woven from ambition, determination, and hope, all coming together in one unforgettable moment. 💙 Emerging Talent was proud to celebrate the graduation of its largest cohort to date yesterday, on #InternationalMigrantsDay. We’re proud of every single one of our learners—now alumni—who each brought their unique stories and experiences to this lifelong journey. It was nothing short of inspiring to witness them grow passionate and confident, ready to step into a world of possibilities that now awaits them. We are deeply thankful to our keynote speaker, Rudayna Abdo, Co-Founder and CEO of @thakiunlocks , for joining us and sharing such thoughtful and moving reflections. Thanks to our collaborators: @_naamal_ , @giveinternet , @global_mentorship , @closethegapint , @niyanetwork , @unconnected_org and @menteeglobal . Together, we are weaving a new future, one where every migrant, refugee, internally displaced person, and all who have been historically underserved are given a real chance to thrive. Where potential and talent outshine circumstance, and where equal opportunity is the norm for all. Join us in congratulating the cohort of 2024–2025!

In honor of #InternationalMigrantsDay, we’re dedicating this week to celebrating resilience, honoring journeys, and advocating for dignity in movement. Migration is not a threat, not a crime; it’s a natural phenomenon that has always been a part of life for all living beings. People move for various reasons, whether to escape conflict, seek better opportunities, reunite with family, or build a better life. No one should be forced to leave their home, but everyone should have the right to move, seek safety, and pursue a future free from fear or persecution. Let’s honor the journeys of migrants and advocate for more than just the bare minimum. We need to push for welcoming policies, greater access to education and pathways to opportunity and livelihood.

Today, we want to recognize and appreciate everyone behind the scenes who made this 6th Cohort possible. Admir Masic, our Founder, is where it all started. Driven by his own personal experience as a teenage refugee from Bosnia & Herzegovina. His lived experience drove the creation of this program and continues to guide our work. Megan, our Associate Director, oversees the team and makes sure things are running smoothly. She took care of delivering Personal Agency workshops around communication, soft skills, and personal growth. Her warm and nurturing energy, made her sessions a consistent favorite among learners✨ Carlos, our Program & Engagement Director, has extensive history working in humanitarian and emergency contexts. He ensures our strategy stays on course and has led multiple panels and workshops drawing on his broad background. He is known for always having a story or example that brings ideas to life. Camila, our Program Coordinator, makes sure our operations are in place. With a contagious smile, she keeps the energy positive and ensures learners feel energized and at home. She’s also our DJ, starting every session with clips of her great music taste.🤩 Somaia, our Mathematics and Computer Science Instructor, led the Computer Science Faculty at Herat University in Afghanistan before continuing her academic work in Canada. She provided a myriad of workshops, recitations and office hours when learners were going through MITx courses in programming and data science. Learners describe her as kind, approachable, and supportive. Evan, our Academic Instructor and Data Science Lead, designs content and oversees our Experiential Learning track guided by evidence-based teaching and learners’ feedback. He’s best known for encouraging learners to embrace the journey of learning and reminding them that their work matters, regardless of the results. Niloufar, Cohort 5 Alumni and Administrative Associate, oversees administrative procedures, manages data, and always ensures learners’ needs are addressed. Thank you for your work that has been integral in the success of this Certificate in Computer and Data Science cohort. 💙

Meet Olumide Kolawole ✨, an Emerging Talent learner who is currently an Information Security Apprentice at Apple! His contributions are nothing short of inspiring; he’s part of a team of ethical hackers, identifying vulnerabilities in Apple’s systems to fortify their security. In an era dominated by AI and machine learning, his role is more critical than ever, ensuring technology remains safe and reliable for all. Olumide has always been passionate about using technology to solve real-world problems. During his time with Emerging Talent, he worked on a group project researching wage disparities in the U.S. tech industry. That same passion is now motivating him to give back to his community in Nigeria. “I’m really excited about the opportunity to give back, especially to my Nigerian community back home where technology is scarce.” Olumide’s story is a testament to the drive, ambition, and commitment to giving back that defines Emerging Talent learners. Many of them are currently thriving at top-tier companies like Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and more. Wherever they go, Emerging Talent learners don’t just set goals, they make sure to crush them and embark on impactful careers along the way. Ready to hire MIT-trained talent like Olumide? Reach out to [email protected]. Together we’re working toward a more inclusive, equitable tech ecosystem!

Last week’s #Changemakers Panel was nothing short of inspiring. We were honored to hear about the journeys of MIT Emerging Talent Alumni, Pavel Ilin and @solvemit Sakeena Mihar 💙✨ Sakeena shared how her lived experience as a refugee who lived through war trauma and PTSD after fleeing war in Sri Lanka shaped her path of entrepreneurship and her mission of helping others to heal and thrive. She is the founder of Savyn Neurotherapy, a platform dedicated to trauma-focused mental health care for refugees and war survivors. / Pavel shared his journey from being an asylum seeker from Russia, juggling survival jobs, to becoming a technical leader at the NYC Mayor’s Office, where he leads projects like MyFileNYC, which digitizes government systems to improve benefit access for vulnerable communities. When asked how he deals with obstacles that get in the way of change, his approach is remarkable: “Turn your adversaries into your allies.” Working within complex systems, he leads with care and collaborates to navigate challenges and achieve mutual benefit. Both highlighted the importance of being strategic about your dreams and knowing that sometimes the path to them won’t be linear. As our cohort prepares to graduate, these stories are a reminder: your lived experience is a superpower. No matter what your future path will be, whether you start in your dream role or take a lateral step, you belong, and you have the power to be a changemaker.

Once our learners complete Emerging Talent’s Certificate in Computer and Data Science, they each choose their own path. Some move into full-time roles, others continue their studies, and many launch initiatives and ventures that create ripples of impact across their communities and beyond. Many of these initiatives emerged from ideation through our collaborative data science projects or experiential learning opportunities. We’re honored to celebrate some of these entrepreneurial ventures and social impact initiatives our alumni have founded: Bionl.ai by Ahmad Jadallah, MD JadAll - No-code biomedical research platform powered by GenAI, enabling scientists to analyze data using natural language processing. Solidarity Initiative for Refugees (SIR) by Jessy Volonté Inga - Refugee-led organization transforming lives from survival to self-reliance through learning and earning opportunities in Kakuma, Kenya. ADAI Circle by Amisi Hassan Jospin - Academy and Innovation Hub equipping young talent with skills to thrive in the AI-driven future. Everpesa Technologies by Jerry Vance Anguzu - Revolutionizing Africa’s financial landscape through solutions for financial inclusion, sustainable investment, and digital infrastructure. SheRise Afghanistan by Nasrin Ahmadi and Niloufar Ahmadi - Empowering Afghan women and girls through education, economic opportunities, and advocacy for their rights and potential. Up With Africa - UWA by Justin Paluku M. and Jack (Jean-Jacques) Mwisa - Empowering refugees and vulnerable communities through IT education, entrepreneurship, and employment opportunities. Hooshmandlab - Lotfullah Andishmand - Free, high-quality programming, computer science, and AI education for Afghan students. Agartha Academy by Batoul Abdulmalek‏ - Professional online learning destination for Arabic speakers, established in Cairo in 2019. InfiniteUp by Malaz Aroub - AI-powered tools empowering small businesses and entrepreneurs to achieve sustainable growth through smart, scalable solutions. We are consistently encouraged by their commitment and tireless determination to give back and empower others.

Meet Ana Isabel, one of our exceptional learners from Colombia! 🌟 With a background in psychology, Ana joined Emerging Talent and gained skills in data science and the confidence to claim her place in tech. She embarked on a unique skill combination that’s now driving real impact in the field. Through Emerging Talent’s continuous career support and focus on connecting talent to professional opportunities, Ana successfully landed an internship at Quipu, an MIT startup. Quipu is a fintech platform in Colombia that offers digital financing solutions to micro-entrepreneurs and informal business owners, such as migrants, who may not qualify for traditional loans. Hear directly from Quipu: “Things are going great with Ana, she’s very proactive working in our Data & AI team, where she’s in charge of building an interactive personality assessment tool for our credit scoring products. She’s been working closely with our Data Scientists and Machine Learning Engineers. She’s learnt a lot and is always willing to take on new challenges.” Thanks to Quipu and all our internship collaborators for their trust in our talent pool! When you hire from our community, you’re not only investing in highly skilled and motivated professionals but also contributing to a more inclusive tech ecosystem, creating hope for young refugees, women, and all who have historically been left behind. Ready to join our internship program and hire MIT-trained talent from around the world? Get in touch! 🚀

As part of the Emerging Talent Program, learners embark on two hands-on Experimental Learning Opportunities (ELOs) to apply what they learned in real-world scenarios. As they dive into their second ELO, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the incredible work they accomplished during their first project, where they applied what they learned in research and data science to tackle complex global challenges. This week, we’re spotlighting two outstanding group projects: ☀️ Solar Energy in Conflict Zones A group of talented learners from Sudan, Palestine, Venezuela, and Russia investigated a critical paradox: Solar energy is among the cheapest power sources globally, yet it costs 57% more in war-torn regions where it’s needed most. They analyzed 25 years of data across 17 countries, revealing that 64% of people without electricity live in conflict zones. They went beyond insights and proposed actionable solutions, including a pilot project for Khartoum, Sudan. 🔗 Read their full story here: /@ahdbasan /survival-not-just-sustainability-the-role-of-solar-in-conflict-zones-54ef59c76af4 🌸 Somalia’s Maternal and Child Mortality “Deqo’s Team” is a women-led group that tackled a deeply sensitive issue by analyzing health data to map geographic hotspots where child mortality rates are highest in Somalia. They explored the impact of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on maternal and child health outcomes, uncovering a troubling correlation: FGM is associated with child mortality in 1 in 5 women. They went above and beyond and incorporated creative storytelling, producing a comic book to raise awareness in a region with high illiteracy rates. 🔗 Discover their journey here: /@ibiscuit168 /somalias-maternal-and-child-mortality-what-is-beyond-data-c252e15a7f38 We’re incredibly proud of how our learners tackled complex, often uncomfortable issues they understand intimately. They brought rigor, creativity, and deep empathy to their work, setting a high bar for future projects. Many of them are building on this foundation in their ELO2, so we can’t wait to see what they accomplish next! 💙

Since its founding, Emerging Talent has opened education and employment pathways for over 600 learners from historically underserved communities in computer science and emerging technology. Together we have supported positive change in these communities and beyond. But this mission wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration of our supporters. Today, we’re celebrating GMI. The Global Mentorship Initiative empowers our learners through mentorship and job readiness training, including leveraging AI for career development, mastering interview preparation, building connections, and standing out in the workplace. Through its 1:1 Mentorship Program, GMI bridges the gap between graduation and first career steps for young professionals, working toward a more equitable workforce, which has proven to have an incredible impact on our community of learners who come from diverse, often underrepresented backgrounds. We’d like to give a shout-out to some of the amazing GMI team members who have been supporting Emerging Talent cohorts for the past 2 years. Jon Browning , Ravenna Hennane, Chad Fuller, Christine Loredo, Andrea Alemán González. Thank you for investing in human potential and collaborating with us to create opportunities that transcend borders and circumstances. For helping us show our learners that even in the face of challenging times, they can stand tall and continue to thrive! ✨💙

AI is rapidly changing how people learn, work, and the skills needed to thrive in tomorrow’s job market. Our learners engaged in a thought-provoking session with David Dixon, Head of AI Education & Innovation at MIT Horizon, who deep-dived into navigating careers in the age of artificial intelligence. David emphasized that AI is transforming existing jobs more than creating entirely new ones. He highlighted that the future belongs to individuals who can use AI as a teammate and master their field’s fundamentals while learning to collaborate effectively with those tools. His message to our learners: Focus on building your “last mile”: the uniquely human skills of problem-framing, critical reasoning, judgment, and clear communication. These capabilities, combined with AI fluency, make you indispensable. Perhaps most exciting for our community: AI is making high-quality learning and expertise more accessible than ever before, creating powerful opportunities for motivated, self-directed learners to rapidly gain new skills and tackle challenging problems that once seemed out of reach. A heartfelt thank you to David for equipping our learners and alumni with the knowledge and strategies they need to thrive in an AI-enhanced world where AI amplifies their unique talents and perspectives.✨

One certificate program. A lifelong global community. 🌍💙 The Emerging Talent experience is filled with laughter, in moments tears and plenty of growth along the way. From workshops and breakout rooms to group projects and discussion panels, every moment contributes to the bonds our learners form together. After our last alumni panel, our wonderful learners 💖 @robmengsteab and Samuel Gai took the opportunity to meet in person with their peer and alum @amalmatovu . They had an inspiring conversation about career and educational paths, as well as insights on making the most out of their ambitions in the field of data science, which they are deeply passionate about. Robel reflects, “I’m feeling incredibly motivated and proud to be part of the Emerging Talent community. Couldn’t have asked for a better networking experience!” There’s nothing that makes us prouder than our vibrant and supportive community that continues to grow across borders, backgrounds, and experiences. 💫

On the soothing rhythms of calm music, our learners came together for a special mindfulness session focused on managing stress in work and life, in commemoration of #WorldMentalHealthDay. After a season of intensive learning and impactful group projects, it was a moment to slow down, pause, and reconnect with themselves. The session explored shifting the narrative around stress from something to fear to a force that can be understood and harnessed for growth. Learners discovered how small, mindful steps and acts of kindness can lead to finding balance and lasting inner peace. Closing with a guided meditation, learners left feeling energized, at ease, and equipped with clarity to move forward. A heartfelt thank you to @tuneinwithjana for her nurturing energy and grounding presence, and to Camila Massa for her great facilitation. 💙