Today we meet Raja Ahmed who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in computer engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology at the University of Peshawar in Pakistan.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
What is your degree in?
I pursued my bachelor's in computer engineering from UET Peshawar, a tier-1 engineering school in Pakistan. Peshawar is probably among the oldest cities on the planet, with a diversified culture.
When did you join the Student Ambassadors community?
I joined the MLSA community back in 2019 when I was about to start my sophomore year and now it’s time to say goodbye after an amazing tenure of four years or so. Time flies.
What was being a Student Ambassador like?
Indeed, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I have always taken it as an opportunity to reduce the gap between academia and industry. There’s a very famous saying about communities: “Building yourself while you build communities.” So, I have always taken MLSA as a stepping stone towards my career and have strived hard to become a true technology evangelist for my region and alma mater specifically, and Pakistan in general.
Was there a specific experience you had while you were in the program that had a profound impact on you and why? For example – being involved in a Social Impact Project, Networking with a Cloud Advocate or MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional), or Mentoring another Student Ambassador?
I have had the honor of having diversified experiences within the MLSA community. A couple of which I would like to mention here would be:
The Olympics of Technology, Microsoft Imagine Cup has been a concomitant for me for the last 3 years, going from being a lead organizer to winning the title to judging the event this year has been an iconoclast experience.
MLSA Pakistan - founding a country-wide MLSA community is one of the best things I can say I am proud of. Starting from a community of 11 Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors. MLSA Pakistan is the third largest community in the program at 300+ students. It is a great testament to what we achieved, and the legacy will continue booming.
Speaking at Microsoft Build & Microsoft Ignite, the premium technology conferences - I had not even imagined in the wildest of my dreams that these things would happen just because of the MLSA community, which helped me unleash my potential.
Raja with the Imagine Cup Pakistan Team.
Tell us about a technology you had the chance to gain a skillset in as a Student Ambassador. How has this skill you acquired helped you in your post-university journey?
I fell in love with the world’s most enterprise-centric public cloud. With Azure, I can harness the power of technology to craft this world into a better place. Azure has driven my career into a whole different horizon, through which I can empower every business and every entrepreneur to achieve more.
What is something you want all students, globally, to know about the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Program?
During my undergraduate studies, I had the opportunity to become a part of almost every major student ambassador program from various technology giants. Today, I would like to take this opportunity to confess that I found the MLSA program the most mature and career-oriented rather than just free marketing by students in return for some swag.
What advice would you give to new Student Ambassadors, who are just starting in the program?
From my own experience, what I would suggest is to take the wildest endeavors during your time in the program because you should feel proud of your time spent as an MLSA. Always be eager to learn and grow in community building. Who knows which technology can lead your career in another direction? Strive the hardest as a true technology leader for your community. Your network is your net worth, so focus on that 110%.
Raja at the HEC- Microsoft Campus Connect Day in 2022.
Share a favorite quote with us! It can be from a movie, a song, a book, or someone you know personally. Tell us why you chose this. What does it mean for you?
Quoting the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Microsoft, Mr. Satya Nadella: “We live in a time where we can imagine the impossible and can make it probable.”
This quote is very close to my heart because Satya, being a modern tech leader, addressed the possibilities of what we can achieve via technology in the modern-day world. Secondly, of course, the quote is oriented towards Microsoft Imagine Cup, which is what I can relate to my journey. Finally, in my every other talk, I use it to mimic Satya in a great way.
Tell us something interesting about you, about your journey.
Do you have any social handles you want to include in your blog? If you are a social media influencer, tell us where to find you. Include those pages and handles here.
You can follow Raja here:
Personal Portfolio Website: https://ahmedrajaspeaks.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/AhmedRajaSpeaks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AhmedRajaSpeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AhmedRajaSpeaks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AhmedRajaSpeaks