A legacy of excellence: congratulations to the Class of 2025

Dani will be attending Berklee College of Music – the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world – in the US to pursue a degree in music ranging from vocal performance, songwriting and film scoring with a minor in English. During her time at the Academy Dani was the head executive of the choir, the Music Director for the Class of 2023 DP1 performance, ‘Mamma Mia!’, a dorm capitan, on several sports team amongst many other accomplishments. “The Academy gave me perspective on numerous aspects of life,” said Dani. “I learnt resilience in the face of academic tribulation and acquired fundamental life lessons through my challenges and victories that I intend to carry forever. The Academy taught me to adapt and excel in more ways than one.”

The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in Kenya celebrated its 20th anniversary on Monday, 19 February in the presence of Princess Zahra Aga Khan. Established in 2003, the Academy in Mombasa was inaugurated by His Highness the Aga Khan, the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), and the former late president of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki. It is the first in an integrated, global network of residential schools known as the Aga Khan Academies, with other campuses located in Hyderabad, India, Maputo, Mozambique and Dhaka, Bangladesh. 
 
The event was also attended by AKDN leadership, donors, students and staff. It featured student performances, speeches, long service awards recognising staff and faculty, a cake cutting, and a film viewing showcasing the Academy’s journey over the past 20 years. Following the event, guests were invited for a tour of the 18-acre campus, followed by lunch.

The recent Student Representative Council (SRC) retreat from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa was more than just picturesque landscapes and outdoor fun. It was about our student leaders coming together to learn, grow, and set individual and group goals. During this retreat, the young leaders bonded, honed their teamwork and charted a calendar of exciting events for the year. Most importantly, the retreat focused on leadership development. Students learnt that effective leadership is about serving, inspiring and collaborating. It is not about power but influence and setting a positive example. During the retreat, through several activities and discussions, they were equipped with the skills and mindset they needed to make a difference in the school community. 

Wall Planner August-December 2023

Gayathri Vinil will be attending the Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) to pursue a major in astronomy and astrophysics. Florida Tech is the first university to introduce the astronomy and astrophysics programme. Known for its location in the heart of the world's gateway to space exploration and ties with the global space community, it has the largest astronomy program in the United States. Florida Tech’s faculty includes former NASA astronauts, who are among the top 2% of scientists worldwide.
Gayathri received a merit-based scholarship (the Panther Fund Merit International Scholarship) of USD 80,000 over 4 years, covering tuition fees. In addition to the USD 80,000 scholarship from Florida Tech, Gayathri was offered USD 160,000 from the University of Colorado, Queens University and more.  “Two years at the Academy have been nothing short of an enriching and invaluable journey,” Gayathri said of her time at the Academy. “I have learned more in these two years than in any before. Living on the beautiful campus with a diverse, yet closely-knit community are some of the things I will cherish

Aiden Muchemi will be attending Hope College in the US to study economics and psychology. He has been offered a combination of scholarships from Hope including the Alumni Honors Scholarship, the Road to Hope Award and the Heritage Award. The combined scholarships of over USD 200,000 will cover his tuition over the course of four years.  During his time at the Academy, Aiden was on several sports teams and a residential captain. He was voted the Class of 2023’s class speaker for the graduation ceremony.   “Throughout my journey at the Academy, I was immensely supported by a community of dedicated educators and fellow peers,” said Aiden. “Their guidance, encouragement, and camaraderie provided a stable foundation in which I could build invaluable skills and meaningful connections. I will forever cherish the opportunity to be immersed in such a mind-opening experience, where curiosity was not only encouraged but celebrated.”