Uniting Alumni Leaders Across Continents: The New Era of the Alumni Leaders Academy Global Sessions #5
October 2, 2025
The fifth and final session of this Alumni Leaders Academy Global series brought us to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), a region both youngest in the alumni ecosystem and fastest to mobilize. In just four months, the MENA movement grew to 12 member nations and 28 official alumni leaders, and for this closing session, they chose not to present in a typical showcase but to put their challenges “on trial.”
Hosted by JA Worldwide Alumni Community Manager Dana Khairallah, the session blended inspiration, storytelling, and a courtroom simulation where alumni served as judges, lawyers, witnesses, and news reporters, arguing three shared regional pain points.
These sessions are held by invitation only for alumni leaders and engaged alumni network staff who are actively shaping the future of their regional communities. For everyone else eager to follow along, our blog posts offer a glimpse into the conversations, milestones, and energy driving alumni leadership across JA Worldwide.
Leading Alumni Voices
The session began with inspiration from Bode Maxwell-Akinyemi, President of the JA Nigeria Alumni Network and one of Africa’s most seasoned alumni leaders. Bode delivered a talk titled “The Dolphin Way,” using dolphins as a metaphor for leadership.
“Dolphins reflect the calmness, adaptability, and collaboration we need as leaders. But just like dolphins can swim solo when needed, alumni leaders must sometimes move forward alone, fueled by resilience and execution.”
He spoke candidly about his experience launching over 70 alumni-led projects in less than two years in Nigeria, often without perfect structures or full team support. He encouraged alumni leaders to balance collaboration with self-drive, to remain adaptable, and to see resilience as a cornerstone of leadership.
Drawing from his own journey , Bode left attendees with a reminder that leadership is less about titles and more about persistence, creativity, and courage.
Alumni Voices on Trial: MENA Showcase
With the inspirational opening complete, the spotlight turned to the MENA region, a community that had only just begun to take shape four months earlier. Today, it spans 12 member nations and over 28 official alumni leaders, covering every corner of JA MENA under INJAZ Al-Arab.
To celebrate this momentum, alumni leaders staged a live mock trial to unpack three shared regional challenges, each framed as a court case. Each case was argued with passion, evidence, and a touch of courtroom drama, complete with Judge Judy (INJAZ Lebanon), News Reporter Omar (INJAZ UAE), and leaders presenting their testimonies.
Case 1: The Disconnect Between Alumni and Opportunities
“How do we move from graduation to employment and beyond, not just celebration?”
Ibrahim from Algeria introduced a creative solution: a Discord platform where alumni can access mentorship, job postings, study resources, CV reviews, mock interviews, and live networking. The community features a ranking system that rewards active participation, turning digital engagement into pipelines of opportunity.
Amr, Board Member of INJAZ Egypt alumni, leaned on their legacy, with 21 years of JA programs producing thousands of alumni. The team is hosting pulse events to reconnect alumni offline and preparing for a national hard launch, alongside alumni activations at the Youth Entrepreneurship Celebration (YEC) later this year.
Mohammad, President of INJAZ Palestine alumni, gave a dramatic defense, highlighting tangible results from the Innovate & Elevate program: workshops, internships, and five alumni already placed in paid roles. The message: “We didn’t just talk about jobs. We delivered jobs.”
Suaad, Vice President of INJAZ Saudi Arabia alumni, presented a structured defense: aligning alumni opportunities with Saudi Vision 2030, activating a quarter-million alumni, and engaging over 40 sponsors. Their alumni leaders stressed that while gaps exist, they are “building bridge by bridge, brick by brick.”
This case showed that while employment gaps persist, alumni are already engineering solutions: from digital platforms to offline activations to national-scale partnerships.
Case 2: Rewriting the Script “Alumni as Decision-Makers”
“Are alumni shaping the future, or clapping from the sidelines?”
Abdulla, Vice President of INJAZ Bahrain alumni, emphasized alumni decision-making power through monthly stand-ups, alumni-designed networking events (INJAZ Connect), and regional participation in program design. Their message was clear: alumni aren’t only present, they’re co-authors of what comes next.
Christelle from Lebanon spotlighted the lived reality of alumni integration: many alumni now work full-time within INJAZ Lebanon, designing the very programs they once joined. From program managers to jury members to JA Worldwide’s own Board of Governors representative, Lebanese alumni demonstrated that decision-making isn’t a future dream, it’s happening now.
Reema, President of INJAZ Qatar alumni, challenged leadership stereotypes, proposing “micro-decision makers.” Instead of concentrating power in one alumni president, they aim to empower many young alumni to lead initiatives across universities and communities. Their new brand identity, Falconing, reflects this vision of multiplying small leaders into exponential impact.
Muhamad, President of INJAZ UAE alumni, showcased how alumni themselves are leading: from hosting in-person alumni dinners to launching mentorship cycles and internships with Nestlé and Ashai Group. Their message: alumni aren’t just attending events, they are designing them.
Together, the case revealed a shift across MENA: alumni are moving from ceremonial guests to active architects of the alumni ecosystem.
Case 3: Stuck in the Alumni Label: What Comes After Graduation?
“Why does everything end when the certificate comes?”
Nora, president of INJAZ Kuwait alumni, officially launched the alumni network with a kick-off event, a scouting board, and clear KPIs, ensuring that alumni have roles, accountability, and visibility beyond graduation.
Ayoub, Community Manager of INJAZ Morocco alumni, celebrated its first alumni gathering and announced plans for a national alumni bootcamp in Casablanca, framing the alumni journey as a three-step cycle: learn, achieve, give back. Moroccan alumni are already winning scholarships, starting businesses, and mentoring the next generation.
Hind, President of INJAZ Oman alumn,i engages alumni through seasonal camps where graduates return not only as participants but also as mentors, trainers, and changemakers. Their vision: every alumnus becomes part of the solution, not just a past participant.
Mohamed from Tunisia recently launched the national alumni network with a governance structure, treasury, and partnerships. Their roadmap aims to engage 200 active alumni by 2026, making graduation not an end, but the beginning of a long-term alumni pipeline.
This case reinforced a powerful message: across MENA, alumni leaders are working to ensure that the JA journey doesn’t stop at graduation. This journey expands into mentorship, entrepreneurship, and long-term community building.
Final Ruling: Yalla, Let’s Build
As Judge Judy brought the “court” to a close, she reminded everyone that the trial was not about blame, but truth:
“We didn’t come here to find guilt. We came here to find the truth. And what we found was that we are not alone in our struggles and we are not powerless in our roles.”
From Beirut to Casablanca, Cairo to Muscat, the MENA showcase proved that alumni in this region are united, ambitious, and ready to lead.
Wrapping Up the Global Series & What’s Next
With MENA’s spirited trial, the Alumni Leaders Academy Global Regional Showcase series comes to a close, for now. Over the past five sessions, we’ve traveled across Asia Pacific, the Americas, Africa, Europe, and finally the MENA, witnessing how alumni are transforming challenges into solutions and networks into movements.
As we move into the second half of the year, we’ll be shifting into new formats focused on knowledge learning and peer sharing spaces. Looking ahead to 2026, we’ll be introducing a new initiative: Regional Champions. Alumni leaders will not only showcase but co-create future sessions, thus, shaping agendas, designing content, and carry the Global Academy forward in partnership with their regions.
So while this is the finale of one chapter, it is also the opening of another. The Alumni Leaders Academy Global continues to evolve, and we’ll keep you updated in future blog posts as this next phase unfolds.
For now, let’s celebrate the energy, creativity, and determination of alumni leaders worldwide. Because as this series proved again and again:
You can’t build a future alone. But together, you can build a movement.
Until then, keep growing, keep connecting, and keep leading.