MENA Cultural Spotlight & Opportunities 

A Note for This Week

Dear MENA Community,

As we turn the corner into the final days of April, we’re still riding the high from Friday’s incredible Passport Day—more on that below! With final presentations underway and the last wave of events filling up your calendars, we know it’s a packed week. But there’s no better way to kick it off than with a major event we’ve been working toward all semester.

🌍 This Week: MENA Meets - Navigating the Trump Era

📅 Wednesday, April 30 | 🕕 6:00–9:00 PM | 📍 KMC 1-100
🎟️ Register here

After months of preparation, MENA Meets is finally here—and it couldn’t be more timely. With tariffs and trade policy dominating global headlines, join us for a powerful and unmissable evening on how Trump’s return to office is reshaping MENA markets.

We’re proud to welcome a stellar panel of speakers:

• John Darsie, CEO of SALT and Partner at SkyBridge Capital

• Winston Ma, Executive Director of the Global Public Investment Funds Forum and NYU Law professor

• Adam Vigh, Director at Wafra and NYU Stern MBA alum

• Ehab Elsonbaty, Partner at DLA Piper and Chair of the U.S./Middle East Initiative

Moderated by David Hamod, President & CEO of the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce, this discussion will cover economic risk, U.S. foreign policy, and the evolving dynamics of MENA alliances and investment.

Stick around afterward for a networking mixer with fellow grad students, professionals, and MENA enthusiasts—complete with free Lebanese catering from ilili.
Open to all grad students and guests.

Professional and Social Events This Week

Please don’t forget to register or attend these exciting professional and social events this week:

Monday, April 28
• Newsworthy Conversations: Turning Voice into Action | 12:00 – 1:00pm
• Excel Modeling Deep Dive | 4:30 – 6:30pm
• Angel Investing & Minority Investors | 5:00 – 6:00pm

Tuesday, April 29
• Elaine Chang - Tibi Guest Speaker Event | 5:00 – 7:00pm
• Fireside Chat: Gaming Industry Professionals | 5:00 – 6:30pm

Wednesday, April 30
• Future of Work: Python Bootcamp (Day 2) | 12:00 – 1:15pm
• GEMS Chess BYO Lunch & Learn | 12:00 – 1:00pm
• GFA MBA2 Panel: Succeeding in Your IB Internship | 12:30 – 1:30pm
• International Student Lunch w/ Dean Mullins | 12:45 – 1:45pm
• Nonprofit Leadership Talk | 4:30 – 5:00pm
• Fireside Chat with John Gannon (Venture5 Media) | 4:45 – 6:30pm
• Get to Know Your Muslim Community @ Stern | 5:00 – 6:00pm
🌟 MENA: Networking & Panel Event (MENA Meets) | 6:00 – 9:00pm

Thursday, May 1
• APIDA Heritage Month Lunch | 12:00 – 1:30pm
• Stern Social @ Watermark | 5:00 – 8:00pm
• Focused MBAs x ABS: KBBQ Meat-Up | 7:00 – 9:00pm

Friday, May 2
• IGNITE Behavioral Interview Practice | 10:00 – 11:00am
• NYU Entrepreneurs Challenge – Final Pitch Off | 1:00 – 8:00pm
• Real Estate Mixer (NYU x Columbia x Fordham x Baruch) | 6:00 – 9:00pm

Saturday, May 3
• EBS Pre-Games Follies | 4:30 – 7:00pm
• Follies End of Year Show! | 7:30 – 9:00pm

🌎 Event Spotlight: Passport Day 2025 Recap

This past Friday, we were proud to take part in one of Stern’s most beloved traditions—Passport Day, a global celebration of cultures, food, and community.

The MENA Club proudly showcased Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, and Algeria, representing the richness and diversity of our region. From vibrant flavors and traditional dress to meaningful conversations and performances, the day reminded us why cross-cultural celebration is so core to our mission.

Thank you to everyone who visited our booths and cheered us on—and to our incredible board and volunteers who made it all happen. 🌟