JA Alumni News: April 2024

Dear JA alumni,

We appreciate the tremendous enthusiasm around the JA Global Alumni Summit happening August 21–25, 2024, in Porto, Portugal. A handful of you have reached out regarding various scholarship opportunities, and we hear your concern about financial accessibility. 

We’re excited to announce a scholarship opportunity for JA alumni leaders to attend the JA Global Alumni Summit. Open to alumni from all over the world, these scholarships will cover airfare and conference fees for qualified alumni. Learn more about your eligibility here: jaworldwide.org/alumni-summit.

Applications for the scholarship started arriving on April 11, and the opportunity will close on May 20. We’ll evaluate the applications on a rolling basis until the funding is depleted. The earlier you apply, the higher your chance to get enrolled into the scholarship opportunity. The number of scholarships also depends on qualified candidates and partner requirements.

If you’ve questions about the scholarship, please email us at [email protected].

Good luck with your application, 

Howard Leong | Global Alumni Ambassador

FOR THE GLOBE

What can I expect at the JA Global Alumni Summit?

🤝 Connect across generations: Unite with fellow JA alumni from over 100 countries, meet seasoned alumni and fresh faces, foster collaboration, and share wisdom. 

🌍 Engage, empower, emerge: Connect with JA alumni from diverse cultures driven by a shared purpose. Our community isn’t random; it’s intentional.

🌐 Unite with purpose: Dive into meaningful discussions, masterclasses, and panels. Learn from experts, build essential skills, and even step up as a speaker.

🎉 Celebrate 20 years of JA Alumni Europe: Mark two decades of success! We’ll honor JA Alumni Europe’s rich history while propelling forward into a dynamic future.

🚀 Don’t miss out: Space is limited to 300 attendees. Don’t miss your chance to connect, celebrate, and be inspired.

Summit highlights:

• Alumni Leaders Academy Global: We’re curating special sessions for JA alumni leaders to foster connections, share knowledge, and learn from one another.
• Experienced-alumni track: Dive into engaging sessions and reunions tailored specifically for older JA alumni. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or starting a new career journey, these sessions will provide valuable insights and networking opportunities.
• Live pitch competition: Brace yourself for an adrenaline-pumping pitch competition! Present your innovative ideas to a panel of experts, including worldwide experts. Who knows? Your two-minute pitch could be a game-changer.
• Alumni skillshares: Calling all JA alumni with expertise. Apply to lead your own masterclasses. Share your skills, insights, and experiences with the community. This is your chance to give back and empower others on their journeys.

Learn more at jaworldwide.org/alumni-summit. 

May 2024 JA Alumni Clubhouse

Join us on May 29, 2024 at 9amEDT/3pmCEST/9pmHKT to learn about project management and various up-skilling certifications to advance your career! Project management is a crucial component for achieving JA alumni organizational goals by effectively planning, coordinating, and executing tasks within defined constraints.

RSVP here.

JA Global Alumni Summit Connect 

We're thrilled to invite you to join us for Summit Connect, a series of exclusive networking and learning sessions designed to enrich your pre-summit experience and connect you with fellow JA alumni from around the globe! At Summit Connect, you'll have the opportunity to engage in thought-provoking discussions, gain valuable insights from learning activities (strength-finders), and forge meaningful connections with like-minded alumni.

Meet global alumni from around the world, learn more about Portugal and the summit, make friends before you arrive, and ensure you're already connected before we meet in Porto! Register a spot here.

Isometricks from JA Greece, Experimental Senior High School of the University of Macedonia, Wins 2024 De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award

The 2024 De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award competition included teams from JA Ghana (AID Electronics), JA Argentina (MANIK), Prestasi Junior Indonesia (SIEVASCO), JA Greece (Isometricks), INJAZ Oman (Warif), and JA Southeastern Pennsylvania (Youthful Thinkers). 

Last week, award sponsor Ralph de la Vega announced the 2024 winner: Isometricks (JA Greece), students at Experimental Senior High School of the University of Macedonia and winners of the 2023 JA Europe Gen-E Company of the Year competition. Congratulations to Korina Malasidi, John Terpsiadis, Fay Katsanou, Marina Giakoumoglou, and Nikolas Sivvas! The student company won US$15,000 cash prize for its product Wizzle, a 3D-printed puzzle game with medical and educational applications. The five other JA student companies also won US$5,000 each, courtesy of the de la Vega Family Foundation.

Learn more about Isometricks here.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Island Weekend at Larnaca, Cyprus

With a €130 ticket, you can join European JA alumni in Larnaca, Cyprus, from July 5–8, 2024, for a summer entrepreneurship conference. The participation ticket covers three-nights accommodation at a four-star hotel, transportation costs, meals, activities (including boat party and beach sports), and entrepreneurship workshops around innovation and technology. Organized by JA Alumni Cyprus, the event aims to provide a learning opportunity and a cultural experience at one of the most famous Mediterranean beaches. Grab your ticket here.

JA Malaysia Alumni Recruits Young Enterprise Mentors

JA Young Enterprise (also known as JA Company Program) is one of the flagship programs delivered to more than 1,200 high school students in Malaysia. Graduates from the program can contribute to their schools and nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs by volunteering their time to mentor their juniors in the program, in the hope that their school can one day compete on the world stage.

FERD’s List 2024 Nomination

FERD’S List is an initiative of JA Europe to recognize inspirational young entrepreneurs and leaders. They are individuals who, in the words of Johan Andresen, Chairman of FERD, are inspirational innovators “creating value and leaving lasting footprints.” What connects all FERD’s List members is that they have all participated in a JA practical entrepreneurial experience at school.

Past recipients include Christian Erfurt, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist of BeMyEyes, and Cornel Amariei, CEO and Founder of .lumen, both founders of companies that have helped millions of sight-impaired individuals live a more purposeful life.

Do you know a deserving JA alumni entrepreneur? Nominate them today. 

JA India Alumni Meetup

Stevia Anlena, President of Prestasi Junior Indonesia Alumni, shared her JA alumni journey with JA India Alumni and motivated eight new JA alumni to grow as leaders within the JA alumni ecosystem. They were inspired by Stevia’s story and will be competing for the role of president at JA India Alumni. 

Alumni Leaders Academy Europe Hosted by JA Alumni Estonia

Twice a year, JA alumni leaders across Europe gather for leadership training and sharing. This JA Alumni Europe National Coordinators Meeting (NCM) is now rebranded as part of the global effort to train JA alumni leaders through the Alumni Leaders Academy. For the Spring 2024 version, 42 JA alumni leaders from 16 countries gathered in Tallinn, Estonia, on April 5, 2024, to take stock of what has been achieved and where the European region would like to progress.

JA Alumni Eswatini Start-up Awards

The JA Alumni Youth Start-Up Awards by JA Alumni Eswatini recognize and celebrate outstanding young JA alumni entrepreneurs who have successfully launched and grown businesses. There are 14 awards, including the Best JA Alumni Start-up of the Year 2024 and the Best Alumni Leadership Award. Nominate a JA Eswatini alumni entrepreneur here. 

JA Mexico Alumni Coffee Talk

JA Mexico Alumni hosts monthly coffee talks with various industry leaders to impart career advice to young professionals within the JA alumni community. In the April 2024 version, JA Mexico Alumni partnered with PDM Mobility Store, a mobility device company for people with disabilities, to share the experience of entrepreneurship and making an impact. Learn more about the event on Instagram.

HOUSEKEEPING

• Email Sarah Rapp for potential partnerships and synergy.
• Email Howard Leong for JA alumni involvement.
• Do you know someone with 8+ years of experience in IT operations, supervising technology teams, and overseeing large information-technology projects? Learn more about the Global Head of Technology role at JA Worldwide.