From the Nominator

A limited podcast series featuring NYUAD alumni discussing their lives post-graduation. The series will be produced by students, for students highlighting real-life stories from NYUAD alumni. The podcast is titled, “Leaving the Nest.”

The series is created by the the Senior Year Experience Committee at New York University Abu Dhabi, featuring NYUAD alumni discussing the realities of life after graduation. It is a series by students for students, highlighting real-life stories from the NYUAD alumni.

The podcast was hosted by Mauricio Yanez (NYUAD ‘21), edited and designed by Mateo Cruz (NYUAD '21), and produced by Mehak Sangani (NYUAD'21), and Maira Sheikh (NYUAD'21), along with the support of the Senior Year Experience Committee and NYUAD Office of Alumni Relations.

From the Judges

Authenticity is not just a buzzword these days, but a requirement for engaging students and young alumni in today’s fast-paced and high-volume world. With the challenge of the current year, and unknown challenges of the years to come, uncertainty is an inevitable feeling that most students are being consumed by. The “Leaving the Nest” podcast submission from NYU- Abu Dhabi met today's challenges with a creative and candid solution. Taking on the conversations about life after graduation, and what that transition looks like through the lens of other NYUAD alumni—but not through the typical event experience. Using the evergreen and far-reaching technology of the podcast world, seniors curated thought-provoking questions that elicited vulnerable conversations and authentic connections between the student and alumni experience. Straying from the more common questions surrounding finding a job and moving up the ladder, the podcast focuses more on social and mental roadblocks to transitioning out of college and into the real-world experience—further demonstrating their understanding of intended audiences. Executing these important conversations through podcast form allows for students and alumni to engage in the benefits of this program at times and locations most convenient to them—removing the challenge and dread of more screen time.