Aummul Baneen Manasawala

Hi there, this is Aummul. I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2019 and am currently pursuing a career in Silicon Valley. My Alma Mater St Raphael’s has contributed substantially to give me the depths and shape me in million ways. For twelve long years, till I bid adieu in 2011, the institute had been filling me up with oils and wells of confidence, perseverance, resilience, and creativity that continues to ignite my soul today. St. Raphael’s has always been known for its rigorous academic curriculum, which helped build my mental muscle for learning and setting up high standards for myself. This muscle helped me shine through the challenging graduate coursework at one of the world’s best public research universities. With hard work and perseverance whose seeds were sown into me right in my school, I was able to conduct quality research projects and eventually land a prestigious job in the United States. Moreover, along with scholastic excellence, the school conducts a myriad of extra-curricular events and competitions that gave me an expedient platform to hone my literary and public speaking skills and carve out a niche for myself. During my journey at Raphael’s, I made friends belonging to a gamut of socio-economic and religious backgrounds which is representative of the diverse demographics of the school. The campus air upholds unity, love, and respect for all which broadened my perspectives in life. The tradition of ‘manual work’ where we cleaned the classroom and premises ourselves built the foundation of self-reliance and cleanliness. Furthermore, the school has not only strengthened me to achieve my goals by making me punctual and disciplined but also instilled the sense of giving back to the society early on. Loving service, the motto of our school, was deep-rooted and we were encouraged to donate a portion of our pocket money to the collective monthly charity box called ‘piggy bank’, a legacy I still follow. There are countless values that I have impersonated from the exceptional teachers that have served the school for decades. I would be forever grateful and indebted to their loving guidance and the nurturing environment of St. Raphael’s for my wholesome growth.