Lelin Ahmed, a NOVA CCI student was recently featured in the international publication the Business Standard which chronicled his life that he thought would only amount to rickshaw puller. Sponsored by a Bangladeshi non-profit called the Jaago Foundation, he was given the opportunity to focus on his education and became an economics student at the Bangladesh University of Professionals, which then brought him to NOVA.

What brought you to NOVA?
I have been living in the USA since mid-July 2022. I am a CCI Program participant. The CCI Program is an exchange program that brings students from 18 different countries around the world. When I heard about this amazing program, I applied from my country and got selected. One of the five pillars of this program is Academics. The CCI program helped me to get into the NOVA, and now I enjoy being a NOVA student and am studying my most desired subject, Business Management and Administration.

Tell Us About Your Experience at NOVA (i.e., professors you’ve liked and friends you’ve met.)
My experience at NOVA is amazing, as every single thing at NOVA is very convenient. Professors are very friendly and innovative. They interact with students a lot, which always brings a positive outcome. I love learning from Professor Melvin Murphy. I think he is a life-changing professor for students. The way he uses his experience and gives us guidelines is on another level. He changed my views, and I see a world from a different perspective that is more beautiful than it was. I love his “Current Event” idea. It helps me to get one step ahead toward my dream.

I love meeting new people because the student community is very diverse here at NOVA. It opens the door to diversity for me. I can meet many different people, share my culture, and learn about their cultures, too. I am also a member of “IF NOVA.” I have participated in almost all the events organized by them. They have made my campus life beautiful and enjoyable.

Most of my friends are very inspiring and from leadership backgrounds. It always inspires me a lot to bring sustainable change in the community through leadership skills. I am having a wonderful life here at NOVA. Thanks to NOVA for giving me the best moments of my life.

What would you tell a student coming to NOVA?
There’s a well-known quote, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I will never forget NOVA the way it made me feel as a student. It’s like a home and there is no place like home. I would like to say, NOVA allows a student to craft a path that’s tailored to his needs, matches his interests and builds toward his dreams. When a student learns by doing, by being who he is, there’s no limit to what he can achieve. NOVA is an amazing place to study.

Where do you see yourself after NOVA or what career pursuits are you exploring?
I would like to see myself as a successful entrepreneur and I have always dreamed of becoming a changemaker. I dream to bring positive and sustainable change to my country. From this point of view, I have decided to work with youth and provide them with necessary career-related guidelines and advice. The education-friendly atmosphere of NOVA helps me a lot to have the confidence to make my dream come true. Now, I feel motivated and confident more than I ever was before.