Alumni and Industry Fellowship Programme

Giulia Hendy, Alumni Fellow

Many of our alumni choose to share their knowledge with the next generation – by taking part in our Alumni and Industry Fellowship programme. We’ve reached out to a number of those actively involved in the programme and asked them to share their experiences.

Giulia Hendy volunteered her time as an Alumni Fellow to mentor two NTU students. She still fondly remembers her time at NTU, which put her on the right track to forge a successful career in human resources. She said: “I thought it was only right to give the benefits of my learnings to those who are just starting their own journeys into their professional life. My volunteer activities involved delivering a range of things including a female mentoring programme, panel discussions on careers in HR, mock interview and assessment days.”

Explaining her motivation to take part, Giulia quickly found it a great experience: “It was wonderful to meet some of the current undergraduates who are just about to step into their careers, and very rewarding to help them critically evaluate where they are and where they want to get to” she said.

Sharon Dawson, Alumni Fellow

Another member of the alumni community to mentor one of our students was Sharon Dawson. Now enjoying a successful career as head of marketing at a national health and beauty retailer, Sharon took part in industry mentoring for our class of 2020 graduates.

She said: “Throughout my own career, I’ve been lucky enough to benefit from the support of some amazing people, who have been so generous in giving me time and sharing their experiences and wisdom, and it feels good to be able to offer that back to others as they start their careers.”

Speaking fondly about her experiences as a mentor, Sharon has gained a lot from volunteering her time and expertise: “I’ve mentored some of the most amazing people, who I’m sure will run the world one day! One of the most important things I can do is to raise the confidence of these individuals and get them to recognise that they have a lot to offer an organisation.”

Ghazi A. Maraqa, Alumni Fellow

A constant theme from people who have taken part in the programme is that they see it as an opportunity to keep in touch with their university and give something back. That’s certainly true of Ghazi A Maraqa.

Now a successful senior talent management officer for a pharmaceutical company, Ghazi has great memories of his time at NTU: “It changed my life. I wanted to do something that would let me help students who had been like me and leave a lasting impact.”

Ghazi has been involved in mentoring as part of the Alumni and Industry Fellowship Programme since 2019. He said: “I’m currently mentoring five people, giving as much support as I can. I have done everything from giving a talk at NTU’s Global Lounge to helping at an open day event for students who were thinking of studying here. On top of everything else, you always feel connected with NTU and are welcomed as a proud graduate.”

Find out more about the Alumni and Industry Fellowship Programme.