ApplyBoard’s Alumni of Impact awards honor former international students

ApplyBoard announced the winners of its inaugural International Alumni of Impact program, recognizing the achievements of 10 former international students who graduated from Canadian institutions and made a positive difference in their home countries and Canada. 

ApplyBoard helps students across the globe gain access to top-notch education by streamlining the application and acceptance process of studying in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland.

The Alumni of Impact winners come from eight countries spanning three continents.

"Their accomplishments reinforce our belief in the transformative power of education and reaffirm our commitment to supporting the aspirations of students worldwide," Meti Basiri, co-founder and CEO of ApplyBoard, said in a news release.

ApplyBoard will create scholarships named after the winners to acknowledge their outstanding contributions. These one-time scholarships will be awarded to deserving incoming international students, enabling them to pursue their educational aspirations and make a significant impact in their communities.

University of Waterloo grad Iyinoluwa Aboyeji was honored for his contributions to entrepreneurship and philanthropy in Africa.  

While at UW, Aboyeji developed his entrepreneurial skills in the university’s Velocity startup program. In 2010, he co-founded a company called Bucknado, which helped students access questions from past exams. 

After graduation, he co-founded Andela – a job placement network for software developers that has provided career opportunities for African talent globally. He also co-founded Flutterwave, a Nigerian fintech that helps African merchants expand their businesses into international markets.

After exiting Andela in 2016 and Flutterwave in 2018, Aboyeji founded Future Africa, an investment firm that supports sustainable businesses tackling Africa’s most critical challenges.

Aboyeji said he is grateful for the Alumni of Impact honor. He said he was inspired by his own experiences as an international student and by his religious faith, as well as his desire to help young Africans achieve a brighter future. 

The 2023 International Alumni of Impact winners are:

• Anjo Colago, Philippines, Coast Mountain College, 2021
• Asif Hossain, Bangladesh, Justice Institute of British Columbia, 2018
• Chetanya Sharma, India, University of Ottawa, 2021
• Christine Qin Yang, China, Mount Saint Vincent University, 2014
• Gurpreet (GP) Singh Broca, India, Cambrian College, 2018
• Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Nigeria, University of Waterloo, 2012
• Kajol Bhatia, United Arab Emirates, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, 2020
• Ramneet Brar, India, George Brown College, 2017
• Walter Alvarez-Bardales, Guatemala, Cape Breton University, 2020
• Woohyung (Roy) Cho, South Korea, Vancouver Community College, 2020