Congratulations to Year 12 student, Ishaan Badiyani, who will be spending two weeks of the upcoming July holidays at Yale University in the USA, having won a place at the Yale Young Global Scholars programme.
Over 10,000 students applied for this programme from over 150 countries and Ishaan was one of the select few who impressed with his application and evidence from his academic results and service to Whitby Collegiate.
Solving Global Challenges (SGC) is an interdisciplinary program that addresses significant global issues by encouraging students to develop innovative solutions. Focused on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, the program spans various fields, including global health, gender equality, poverty alleviation, art in protest, environmental sustainability, and green technologies. SGC emphasises the importance of translating technical knowledge into practical applications, drawing on academic disciplines from STEM to social sciences and the humanities. Through critical analysis, problem solving, and creativity, students gain skills to address contemporary social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Some of the lectures that Ishaan will be attending include:
Visions of AI, the wonderful and terrible dream
Trapped by Poverty: Graphing the Cycle of Global Inequality
The Social Media Age and Activism Fatigue
Ishaan says that it is his aim to understand global issues, enhance critical thinking, and develop problem-solving skills across disciplines. He sees that focusing on practical solutions for the UN's Sustainable Development Goals is important and he is looking forward to connecting with diverse peers from so many different countries to build teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. Ultimately, he hopes to return more confident, inspired, and prepared to contribute meaningfully to both global challenges as well as solving challenges in our Whitby, Wellington and New Zealand communities.
Congratulations Ishaan, we are very proud of you!