SHOW NOTES
We often hear the phrase, “Talent is universal, but opportunity is not.” This gap is most obvious when we think about education and that millions of young people around the world never reach their potential not because they lack the smarts or the drive, but because they lack access to the right kind of educational opportunities that will help open the door to their future. But what does it actually mean to identify and nurture this talent?
This episode’s guest is Rebecca Zeigler Mano and is someone who has spent her life building generations of talent, one student at a time. She is the founder of the United Student Achievers Program and the organization Education Matters in Zimbabwe whose mission is to match talent with opportunity. Before founding Education Matters, Rebecca worked with the EducationUSA network at the U.S. Embassy in Harare. In addition to her work with Education Matters, she is also the co-founder of the HALI Access Network, an association of non-profit organizations in Africa that work with high-achieving, low-income (HALI) students to access international higher education opportunities. In recognition of her contributions, Rebecca was awarded the 2021 GSE Excellence in Education Award from Stanford University, her alma mater.
Episode Themes:
What inspired Rebecca to forge a career in international education, and the origins of the United Student Achievers Program and Education Matters.
The sorts of odds and challenges that Education Matters’ students overcome to go on to elite global institutions; become Rhodes scholars, doctors, and entrepreneurs.
How can we increase access to education at a larger and global scale, and how can the impact of organizations like Education Matters not only be replicated but also scaled up?
The challenge of brain-drain, especially for Africa; how the students of Education Matters are deciding their future; and the realities of returning home.
The experience of launching a new community school, especially in the midst of the pandemic.
How Rebecca stays centered and focused on her work and mission and what gives her hope for the future.
Resources:
Read the Education Matters annual report.
Read the NYT article
Be sure to check out these other resources!
My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility
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Facebook: @authorrajikabhandari
