Break the Bias: Alyssa Ahmed Is Leading the Way
Raise your glass and toast to future leaders. In the final semester of her undergraduate degree in Psychology, Alyssa Ahmed is truly leaving her mark. Alyssa represents the future of women in leadership and continues to make an impact at UofG. Most university students have enough on their plate balancing academics, but Alyssa pushes herself further, dedicating most of her free time to others in the Guelph community.
Alyssa is the former president of the CSAHS Student Association, and this year, she sits on the board of directors for the CSA. For extracurriculars, Alyssa is volunteering with Jack.org Guelph and Big Brothers and Sisters as an in-school mentor. As her final accomplishment at Guelph, Alyssa will be delivering the Last Toast speech to the graduating class of 2022.
On February 25th, Alyssa attended the CEOx1 Day Future Leaders Summit. This online event connects top CEOs and a small group of selected students to participate in mentorship and growth workshops. This year, Alyssa was one of the 50 finalists selected.
What drew you to this event?
“I think I just wanted to hear what the CEOs had to say about how they got to where they are now. I wanted to hear personal stories about their journeys. There was a good variation of gender and race, so I got a bunch of different backgrounds where the leaders could attest to their struggles and the barriers they faced, which I found cool because it made them more relatable. They made it seem like it isn’t impossible to become a CEO, which is a crazy thing to think about- it always seems so out there and far-fetched that no one could ever do it.
That’s what drew me to it. Being able to hear what the CEOs had to say about their journeys and how I could overcome the same barriers if I were to face the same ones they did.”
You’re clearly a very motivated student. What drives you?
“I think there are two main things. I love giving back to the community. I always want to find ways to get involved with something new or give back to a particular group in the community. The second thing is the connections I get to make with so many amazing students; the CEO conference is a great example of that. I got to connect with people all across Canada who are studying all sorts of things that are totally different from what I’m doing. I think you can learn from people regardless of if they’re in your life for one day or five years- there’s always something to be learned from it. Everyone has a different story."
Was there anything you learned at the Leaders' Summit about being a woman in business?
“The women leaders touched on how they are expected to ‘act like a man in a women’s body'. They also talked about their kids and balancing being a mother while having their careers, which is definitely something to note. There’s a societal assumption that women are the ones to stay home and push their careers aside. I found it inspiring that they have found a balance between work and life and can still prioritize their families.
The discussion of women in business brings to mind something I’m working through right now. Earlier this year, I joined the women’s flag football team. Being a part of the team has made me feel really empowered. The interesting thing about the team is that we aren’t allowed to associate with the University; we’re not even a recognized club. We can’t call ourselves Gryphons or practice on campus. I thought it was odd because there’s clearly a recognition for the Men’s football team.
So, I had a meeting with someone from the athletics department a few weeks ago to discuss how our team could become affiliated. I was pretty disappointed with the conversation- they made it seem like getting a women’s flag football team for the University was farfetched. It was pretty shocking. There are fewer opportunities for women to do these things, and if the opportunity isn’t there, how are people ever going to get started with it and have those experiences? It’s 2022, and I feel like we’re still the outcast group. I think that now more than ever, there needs to be a conversation around this."
As a student in the CEOx1 Day Leadership Summit, Alyssa was inspired by powerful women. In her busy life filled with volunteering and giving back to the community, Alyssa is an inspiration. Students like Alyssa demonstrate the value of women empowering women. Through gaining knowledge from success stories at the Leadership Summit to paving new roads for the Guelph Women’s Flag Football team, Alyssa shows what it means to break the mould.
For more information on the CEOx1 Day Leadership Summit, visit the CEOx1Day Site
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