“I chose a new major for a greater likelihood of being employed in either the private or public sector, and leave a positive mark at the same time,”
Naman Yagnik graduated from Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in the 2013 cohort.
Since then, he moved to the United States to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida in with a plan to major in aerospace engineering. He changed course along the way to pursue a Bachelor of Science in commercial space operations with a double-minor in human factors and business.
“I chose a new major for a greater likelihood of being employed in either the private or public sector, and leave a positive mark at the same time,” said Naman.
Naman is already seeing the fruits of his efforts. He is interning at Design Science in Philadelphia this summer, to conduct research and experiment on medical machinery, which could save lives, as he sees it. He credits his good friend Danish Dhamani (also an Academy graduate in 2013) for referring him and thereby helping him to secure an internship.
As he prepares to graduate at the end of 2017, Naman reflects on his time at the Academy and how it contributed to where he is today.
“The IB [International Baccalaureate] programme moulded me almost perfectly for college life,” he said. “It prepares the students in the best possible way and builds a strong base for our future lives.” He added that, “the values instilled in me at the Academies also help me with time management, to be independent and make better decisions in setting goals for the future.”
When asked about his most unforgettable memories at the Academy, he replied, “All of my class trips since Junior School – I remember all of them like it were yesterday.” He further added, “For a community service project, as a part of the green gang club, we improved the club over the years and made a positive influence in our off-campus work with the community.”
The teachers who made a lasting impact on Naman were Amal Hirani, Lucy Mwandawiro, Peter Otin and Phillip Newton.
During his time there, although he did not live in residence, the Academy became a home away from home. “I miss walking into school every morning and going to class with my friends and socializing with everyone around me,” he recalls fondly.
Naman’s parents have since moved from Kenya to Dubai and he moved to Florida for college and stayed on campus, and now shares a house. Though adjusting to life away from home can be difficult, being an avid traveller, he adapted quickly. The experience of attending the Academy, which is an international and multicultural school, helped him to appreciate people from different backgrounds.
Naman has a bright future ahead of him and considers himself fortunate to have attended the Academy as a foundation to his future. He hopes that since admission to the Academy is based solely on merit, that scholarships are made available to support students from pockets in the community where potential is often left untapped.