I always appreciate welcoming alumni back to campus. This month, those alumni included Abraham Stephen, who received his BS in Business Management and was recently admitted to Westminster University in London for graduate studies. His brother, Abeshai Stephen, is currently enrolled at Forman, and his father, Stephen John, Forman’s Deputy Manager for Admissions, is also an “Old Formanite.” Moreover, Abraham’s grandfather, John Roshan, served as Dr. Peter Armacost’s chef from 2005 until 2010, while his great-grandfather, Samuel Jacob, served as a security guard at Forman for 35 years, contributing to a family tradition of Forman connections that now extends to four generations.
Recent Forman graduate Shahrukh Baloch shared the wonderful news with me that he has been admitted to the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies to pursue an MA in South Asian Studies. In addition, he received both a full tuition waiver and a Margaret C. Mykut Fellowship to support his studies.
Baloch graduated from Forman with a BA (Cum Laude) in Political Science in April 2018, having served as a Resident Assistant in West Hall and as a Teaching Assistant for Physics Professor Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy for a course titled “Science and the World Around Us.” He later worked as an Administrative Assistant for Shawna Person in the Student Affairs office. During his journey to Seattle, he visited two great cities, Istanbul and New York, noting that “since the focus of my research is going to be urban anthropology, I am fascinated by cities, and every city has a distinct character emitted by its buildings, crowds, transportation, music, food, and aromatic profile.”
Kanza Noor, who studied Physics at Forman and earned a Bachelor’s degree in 2019 and an MPhil in 2022, is now pursuing a Master’s in Material Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. In addition, she is working as a Silicon Fabrication Engineering Intern at Intel Corp. in Portland, Oregon. According to Kanza, “The education and experiences I gained at FCCU play a significant role in helping me achieve these milestones.”
School of Management Assistant Professor Faiza Tasneem reports that two Forman graduates focused on HR issues have already achieved early career success. One, Minahil Aslam, secured a position in the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris while studying for her Master’s at ESC Clermont Business School in France, and another, Mavra Tabeer, is working as a Senior Compensation Analyst at the Washington Post after completing her Master’s degree at Georgetown University.
Forman’s Alumni Office has also been busy, launching an “Alumni Open Day” on October 1, which included a presentation and campus tour, followed by a reception and refreshments in the Alumni Lounge.
On September 18, Forman’s Marketing & Outreach team, which includes the Alumni Office, hosted a launch ceremony for two booklets: one honoring Forman graduates who have contributed to Pakistan’s IT sector (“Notable Formanites in the IT Sector”) and another recognizing the many achievements of our current students (“Formanite Achievers, 2023-2024”).
Chief Marketing & Outreach Officer Mrs. Badia Raza warmly welcomed attendees while highlighting Forman’s commitment to its alumni. Prominent Formanites in the IT sector who attended included Mr. Attiazaz Munawwar Ud Din (President of the Forman Alumni Association and Chairman of Khazana Enterprises), Mr. Najeeb Ghauri (Group CEO, Chairman, and Co-Founder of NetSol Technologies), Mr. Anthony Richards (Founder of Digital Office System and FCCU’s Chief Information Officer), and Mr. Muhammad Taimoor Ali (Chief Operating Officer of Bookme Tickets), all of whom spoke on the role that Forman played in shaping their IT careers.
Regarding the second booklet, which focused on student achievers, this part of the program included remarks by three current students: Mr. Obil Abid Nathaniel (this year’s Rector’s Scholar), Mr. Hamza Ahmed (founder of Forman’s OmniLife Society), and Ms. Wafia Khalid (national medalist in weightlifting).
“Old Formanite” Khunshan Ahmed, co-founder and CEO of EvolveDash, shared a detailed account of the entrepreneurial journey he has taken since graduating from Forman: “I fondly remember my time at FCC, where the financial aid provided by the university, combined with my part-time job, enabled me to complete my degree in computer science.” After starting his career as a software engineer, he participated in various programming competitions and “hackathons” before founding the tech company EvolveDash in 2019 with his wife, along the way hiring several other Forman graduates.
Lastly, congratulations to President and CEO Mr. Zafar Masud and his team at the Bank of Punjab for their success at the CFA Society’s 21st Annual Excellence Awards ceremony, where they swept three of the most prestigious honors: Corporate Finance House (Fixed Income), Best Transaction, and Gender Diversity at Workplace.